Frosted Darkness
by The-Silver-Butterfly150
Summary: "If you don't do as I say, I will kill the guardians right in front of you." Pitch said with a sadistic grin, leaving Jack no choice but to unwillingly side with him. Now the guardians, they think their newest member has betrayed them.
1. Longing For A Family

Pitch paced around his lair, hands balled into tight fists, his yellow eyed flared with fury. Sunlight escaped the spaces of the broken bed frame that served as a door for his haven. It shed light on the golden dots of believers on his dark globe mocking him in many ways that he felt like picking it up and throwing it out. Hazy gust of wind swirled around the room, the cages that hung from the ceiling creaked at the breeze gave it a shove and black sand littered around the ground. There wasn't any chance he was giving up; he wouldn't let himself be defeated by the guardians especially not a kid like Jack. He circled the globe, angrily kicking fallen sand away. The wind seemed to move with his range.

100 years of learning how to wield black sand and another hundred years of plotting his return, all gone down to the drain.

Oh how he missed the dark ages, back then everyone feared him, there wasn't any light, any hope and there weren't any guardians to get in the way.

But he will avenge his defeat; he will make sure that there wouldn't even be light left in this world. He will make everyone suffer and he will make sure Jack will suffer the most.

He will not give up so easily, he still had his fearlings, he can still wield black sand, he will never be vanquished when darkness is still present and darkness never disappears when he is still around.

It was all because of Jack Frost, he would have succeeded if it wasn't for him. At first he didn't think the winter spirit was much of a treat, he was small, scrawny and so skinny, he did not think he'd ever have the ability to fight him, he thought all he did was make snow and blizzards, but he was wrong. The boy was more powerful than he expected. Even though he broke his staff in two, which was the source of his power, he still had the strength to put it back together and fight him.

Speaking of Jack Frost, he will never let anyone, not even the guardians get a hold of such great power, as he said, frost goes well with darkness, and he will make children fear him, whether he likes it or not, besides, the guardians are powerless without Jack, they wouldn't have defeated him without the spirit's help, and the last light would have died out if he hadn't shown up.

200 years is an awfully long time, surely he has prepared another plan. He still has something up his sleeve.

Black sand crawled out the tips of his sharp fingers as he laughed menacingly, "Are you ready? Jack?"

There won't be any light left in the world, everything would be Pitch black...and Jack Frost.

"It's not over yet," the nightmare king hissed, "You haven't one yet."

The nightmare sand beneath him stirred into a mini tornado, "You will see what I am capably of."

IT was relatively dark for a day darkness was vanquished. The clouds were a mixture of grey and black, they hung low, like you could just reach out and touch them. The atmosphere was layered with cold unforgiving air and thick mist. Something was wrong, and only Sandy noticed, but he didn't feel like informing North, he didn't want them to worry in the middle of the celebration of Pitch's defeat.

Months have already passed, and nothing seems to be wrong, so the sandman just focused on his daily duties and made sure that none of the children of Burgess ever get a single nightmare, ever.

Family was the only word alien to Jack, he would take one of the million dictionaries contained in North's library and look it up, but still he wouldn't fully understand the meaning of it.

For he didn't know what it was like to have a family, he was risen out the lake Burgess several years after he drowned, his family was already dead and the worst of all he never even know he had a family until now that he saw his memories.

He spend 300 years alone, no mother to care for him, no father to play with, no one to treat his cuts and bruises, no one to kiss him goodnight, no one to tell him stories at night, nothing, all he had was himself, and the moon, who never answered his questions for years.

He wanted a family, he desperately wanted to know what it's like to have that warm feeling you get whenever someone takes care of you.

All he ever wanted was a funny, and nothing more.

The guardians were his temporary companion, he spent most of his time in the North Pole because he had nowhere else to go, he didn't fully trust them, he didn't want to fully open up to them and he didn't want to consider them as his own family, considering that they ignored him for almost 300 years.

They just accepted him for the moon's sake, North their leader, and he was kind to everyone, Bunny was only trying to tolerate him and Tooth was just being nice.

Sandy was the only one he trusted…a little, he was the only one who didn't turn him away because he was busy like everyone else did, like Bunny on blizzard 68, he only caused the snow storm because he wanted attention, whenever he tried to break in the North Pole, he was just trying to make friends.

Sandy was different, he was kind, and he would always stop by his lake to give him some dreams every night.

The meetings were held more often than before, now that Jack is a part of the guardians; he had a lot of catching up to do, he needed to learn the rules, duties and signals, everything he needed as a guardian. North wanted to check on them monthly to see if everything was doing alright and nothing suspicious was happening around them, so if Pitch Black ever returns they would all be prepared for it.

It was one of those days when North abruptly summoned them for no reason by shooting the Northern lights up in the sky. Bunny complains about how it was unfair for North to have such an easy way of calling them whenever he needs something while he himself has to travel half ways across the world to see North whenever he needs help.

It wasn't even a month yet, it was just a week after the last meeting, and Jack presumed North was changing their monthly meetings into weekly meetings now. _Great just great _he didn't like staying at the North Pole for too long, disregarding all those times he tried to break in.

He just didn't feel really comfortable with his companions now that Pitch was defeated.

He just felt like he wasn't needed anymore and he was just a disturbance to them.

He sat in front of the unlit furnace with his hood over his head, his wooden staff laid on the carpeted floor at he watched the guardians share eggnog and have their conversations.

He was doing it again, isolating himself from all the others. He always sat in front of the fire place, whether it was lit or not, he would normally guess how much the guardians trusted him.

He played with the yetis and messed with a few elves all the time, but once the discussions get serious, he would sit aside thinking he would just get in the way.

He was afraid, he was afraid that if he did something wrong, even if he broke a small vase they might send him away again like the time when he ventured Pitch's lair and got his memories back

Jack sensed violet eyes locked on him, he knew Tooth was starring at him, but he just ignored it, if he did turn around, she would probably invite him to the conversation they were having, like she always does, but he really didn't want that to happen, _what was he going to talk about anyway?_ He didn't want anything to do with them, especially when Bunnymund is glaring daggers at him.

What was the meeting even about? He thought to himself, he hoped it wasn't about the frozen water parks, or he was in big trouble.

"Alright!" North boomed and clasped his beefy hands, "Let's start meeting, come here Jack," he motioned the boy to sit on the comfy red chair next to him.

Jack hesitated, but eventually picked himself of the floor and trudged to the red coach after a long chain of thoughts.

All eyes were on him, as quickened his pace a bit and settled himself on the huge arm chair.

Sandy gave him a wave; he was sitting on his little golden dust cloud. Tooth beamed at him. North gave him nod, and Bunny, he had a smirk.

_What are they so happy about?_

"So," North cleared his throat, "Sandy was a little bit worried about whether last week but we all know it's climate change, no?"

Sandy gave a thumbs up and nodded happily.

"But now I have called you all here because of Jack," the toy maker added, his expression was unreadable.

_Yep, he was in trouble._ Jack felt himself shrinking in his seat, his shoulders contracted and every muscle in his body stiffened, "is it about the water parks?"

"No, not that, those are very funny," North chuckled, "is about you, being Guardian!"

"What about it," Jack gulped and tried to keep his body from quivering.

"We don't think you trust us mate," Bunny said "Just look at your position, it's like you think we're gonna hit you or somethin' but hey, we are guardians, so it means we're a team, and you could always rely on us."

Jack sat up a little straighter and relaxed his shoulders. Strange, he never expected to hear something like that from Bunny.

"Is true, that is why we are all here, we don't want you to feel left out." North added.

"And Jack, you could always stop by my Tooth palace for a little chat," Tooth said.

"We are family Jack, and we'll always have time for each other."

Now Jack felt like a surge of electricity was trying to break out of him, he feel like he could to anything, even walk on walls and ceilings. He never thought this would be happening, he just thought if ever Pitch Black was defeated he would just go back to his normal life at the lake and go to guardian meetings whenever they are called,

He never expected the guardians to gather up and tell him that he could trust them, even if they did leave him for 300 years, he forgave them, he just didn't want to send the rest of his life alone, not anymore.

Turns out they weren't just trying to be nice after all, he knew, deep inside him he knew, what they were saying was sincere, coming from the bottom of their hearts.

North dismissed them immediately due to Tooth and Sandy having a lot of work to do. Once the room was cleared, North went over to Jack, who was laying sprawled out on the couch. Gently, he tapped him on the shoulder, which made him jump several feet away, panting heavily and holding his staff up. He relaxed once he realized it was just North, "sorry," he said "I'm just not used to physical contact."

The jolly man only gave him a warm smile, "come with me, I have something important to discuss with you." he trailed away and the winter spirit reluctantly followed him out of the globe room and into his office.

Jack stood in the middle of the room, trying to avoid the recent event where North got him pinned to the door with his gaze; Santa Clause is scarier than all the children think.

"So…."Jack began and started rocking on his heals, "Why am I here again…."

"Jack my boy, I have been observing you for these past months, and I notice you are not comfortable around us," North stated.

Jack bit the bottom of his lip, "I guess, I am not used to being around you, guys, or anything living that can see me…."

"Not true," North snapped, "you were not like this when you first came here." He stepped closer, while Jack warily took a few steps back…again, but North reached out and grasped they boy's shoulders. "Tell me, was it because of what happened last Easter? Was it because you trusted us and then we send you away? Was it?"

Jack felt tears prickle his eyes as he was reminded of the time when he was in Antarctica. He subconsciously nodded. North's grasp tightened, for a second he thought he was gonna break his bone, but instead, the Russian man's expressions softened, "Jack, I want you to trust us, we sent you away because of anger, and you know how bad out of control anger is no? We are guardians, we are family, and we will never intentionally hurt you."

Jack didn't know what to say, he recalled when Pitch told him that they will never accept him. "It was Pitch," he said out of the blue and the jolly man's eyes widened, he let go of the boy's shoulders, "What did he say?"

Jack hesitated, "That, you guys will never accept me…" he managed to choke out.

"NO!" North boomed, "Never believe him, never listen to what he says, we are your true family, and the boogyman will never understand us."

The youth's gaze landed on the ground, "But, why did you accept me?"

"Because you are like a son to me," North said, "All those years I have had my eye on you, even if you are on naughty list it doesn't matter. Those times when you tried to bust in the pole, I wasn't aware of it, if I was I wouldn't have let you in. but the point is, you are immortal, and I don't have to worry about loosing you, Jack, you are like most of the children I meet, but you have something very special inside."

This time tears threatened to escape the corner of his eyes and Jack tried the best he could to hold them back.

"I want you to stay at the pole," North took him by surprise, nearly making the boy topple over in shock, "What?'

"A proper home, we left you alone for years without even noticing, and the best thing I cold offer you is a proper home,"

All he wanted was a family, and right in front of him was North, offering him a home. He never knew what it was like to have a home; he only slept on trees and considers the lake of Burgess his home, since that was where he was risen from.

Crystal tears escaped his glassy blue eyes, "t-thanks" he whispered and North pulled him into an embrace.

It was unusual for Jack; it felt strange to be hugged by a huge Russian man. But nothing even matters anymore, he found his family, and he got everything he wanted.

Jamie is a lucky child, he gets visits from Jack Frost every night, which is was the envy of all his friends. Jack and him had a special connection, like they were really blood related brothers. Jack was his best friend and he vowed that he will never stop believing in him no matter what happens.

But he could help but feel about Jack, he never came to visit today, which made it feel like something was wrong, his mother forced him to bed, he tried to stay awake but he couldn't and eventually found himself drifting into sleep. A trail of golden sand crawled in from his window forming a snowflake above his head.

In the darkest corner of the room, Pitch Black stepped into the light, "if it wasn't for you I would have succeeded," he hissed and laid one finger on the golden snowflake, turning it into a black avalanche. "Lets see of you still believe in those pathetic guardians..."

**Hey there! First chapter is already very long and I did not expect it to be that long XD so, whoever desires Rise of the Guardians to have a sequel, I just found a petition, there's a link on my profile, SIGN IT! If you want a sequel so badly. FOR BUNNY! lol**

**Leave a review/comment/critique I would really love to hear what you think.**


	2. Uncontrolled Power

_I don't get it, I have been thinking about it for a while and I still don't get it. The guardians have their powers because they have believers, but when they loose them, Tooth looses her ability to fly, North grows old, and Bunny, he turns into a regular Bunny. I don't have believers; wouldn't that make me the weakest of all? But instead I am the most powerful of them all, I don't get it._

* * *

It's been months since Jack started living in the North Pole. It was probably the best thing that ever happened to him aside from becoming a guardian. All his questions family, their trust and friendship that troubled him have been answered by North. The jolly man loved him like a father did and gave him everything he desired for the past years and he finally knew what the true meaning of family was.

However the mischief always made North worry every time he darted out the window and come back almost midnight or later than that. He couldn't seem to sleep without knowing whether the winter child was alright of not.

The creaking open of the door would signify the youth's presence, which was the only time North would go to bed.

He wished he could just tell the spirit of mischief to stay in his room or ground him like a father to his son, but he had to face the facts, Jack wasn't his son and he was an independent and free person, he had no control over him.

The toymaker often shared stories about his life, who the man he was before he became Santa Clause and all his great adventures he had to the winter spirit, as a form of getting to know each other better, he told how he single handedly defeated a wayward army with nothing but a bent steak knife…while he was eating. And when he first encountered Pitch Black the Nightmare King, he also revealed some personal things like he didn't have a family either, no mother or father to be proud of him, just like Jack, no wonder they felt some kind of strong connection.

Bunny occasionally dropped by to pay the young winter spirit a visit, that kid was growing on him, he was like a brother to him, but it didn't mean he was telling any of that to him, the two still start a lot of ridiculous arguments about silly things.

Tooth visited every night to have a small chat, the same goes with Sandy, who gave him sprinkles of dreams and daily.

Jack on the other hand discovered how powerful he truly was, as his number of believers start to increase, his powers continue to develop until they are at it's full potential.

Pitch has continued to observe their every move in the shadows. He watched Jack develop his powers, he watched him slice down a full grown tree with one shoot of his staff, he watched him freeze the whole forest ground with one touch of his feet. Such miraculous power, he needed that kind of power on his side, and he will get it, once he succeeds, that miraculous power, he will use against the guardians for his revenge.

Jamie continued to have nightmares every night, but still he has kept it to himself despite all the nightly visits he gets from his guardian friend. He didn't want to disturb any of them for he knew they were busy, and if he told Jack about it, the boy would probably burn with range and try to defeat Pitch Black on his own. He still kept spreading stories about Jack Frost to all his friends in school, who told them to their relatives in different countries, who told them to their friends in even more countries, making his number of believers multiply like ants.

Still Jack noticed how tired the boy is every night and the dark bags under his eyes, he lost his enthusiasm and sounded tired, though he still didn't want to tell Jack about his mix nightmares and reasoned that it was just his homework and school work.

Another month passed and Jack's powers have gone a little too out of control. Whenever he made contact with something, it would always turn into a block of ice, freezing solid whether he wanted it or not. Like when he landed in the center of Santoff Claussen and turned the whole work shop in to a skating rink, and when he just reached out to turn on the lights, he ended up decorating the whole wall with frost, which is why he avoided physical contact as much as he could, he didn't want to freeze North, he needed to keep his powers in control, if only he knew how. And asking the moon would be completely useless.

He didn't let North know about his sudden increase of power, cause he didn't want to be the center of attraction, he'd rather keep it to himself and try to fix it by himself.

But it was obvious since he couldn't even sleep in his own bed without completely freezing it solid, instead he slept on the tree by the pole every night. He avoided making contact with everything and dodged either North's or the Yetis touch and the room temperature was always several degrees colder whenever he was around.

North was aware; he too had experienced the same things the first time he got his believers. But Jack, he is different, he is already powerful without believers, but now that they were increasing, his power has taken over him. he needed to learn how to control them, and North knew just the person who could teach him.

North strode to the globe room and twisted the golden lever beside the sphere several times before pushing it downward which sent a specific pattern of lights in the sky, calling out for Sandy, and Sandy only.

A strong force of wind lashed all the windows open. Jack hovered in, trying to avoid as much physical contact with any object.

He flew back to stare at his doings. All the windows were shot open, which never happened before. He could only give an "opps" and he hovered away to look for North.

He frantically lost control over his powers three days ago, it even changed his appearance. His blue hoodie was completely coated in trails of frost unlike before. His staff didn't even look like it was wood anymore, crystallized ice covered it's whole structure. Jack's eyes were gleaming bright blue, like ice could shoot out of his intense glare, or maybe he could. There were so many things he never knew he was capable of.

He heard North's booming laughter from the other side of the room. Was all the other guardians here or was he talking to the yetis? He ran to the window and placed his hands on the golden sill as he peered out the sky checking if the Northern lights were present at the sometime frosting the whole window.

"Aw come on!" Jack stared at his pale palms that were capable of freezing anything now.

"Jack? Is that you?" he heard North's heavy footsteps tapping the wooden floor.

"Yeah it is," slowly, Jack floated away from the frosted window and came face to face with North, "ah Jack, I was looking for you."

"Is there a meeting or something, cause I don't see the lights anywhere." Jack wanted to peer out the window again.

"No, don't worry, there is no meeting," North assured, "but I did notice your changes."

"Yeah, I guess it's pretty obvious," Jack rubbed his arm awkwardly adding more coats of frost.

"Do you know what is going on?" North tried to lay a hand on his shoulder but Jack avoided it immediately, "might not be a good idea to touch me, but no, I don't know what's going on."

North's laugh echoed the room, "you have believers! They are increasing, more and more! And as they increase, you grow even stronger, that is what happens to us all."

"So, you mean, if I get as much believers as you guys I'll turn into some frozen ice cube?" Jack asked sarcastically, he was happy to hear his believers are increasing, but getting stronger isn't what he wanted, to the point that he couldn't make contact with anything wasn't much fun at all.

"Of course not! You have to learn to control that power." North cooed, "and once you control that power, you will turn back to normal again, and I know just the person who can help you!"

"Sandy?" Jack stood wide eyed opposite of the dream sand caster.

"Yes, Sandy! He can help you control your powers." North explained, "You should have seen him before, he was leaking with sand."

Sandy nodded and outstretched his arm with sand leaking out of his finger tips as emphasis.

"Okay…." Jack leapt into the air, forgetting about the no physical contact part, now he has frozen a large portion of the ground solid. He inhaled deeply.

"Don't worry, you'll have that under control in a minute." North said.

"So, were all of you experiencing this weird kind of change?" Jack asked.

"Yes," North pulled over a chair and settled comfortably on it, resting his hands on the wooden arms. "Back when I was very much younger, I was mortal, and I would get tired if I run 10 miles. But now I am old but an immortal with believers and I am much stronger that younger self, same goes for you Jack. You are strong without believers, but you get even stronger with them. You just have to learn to contain the power inside you, and only Sandy knows how to do that."

Sandy nodded happily and gave them another thumbs up.

"So, after 300 years I finally get this much believers?" Jack laughed dryly. "I never actually thought it would ever happen, I thought I would stay invisible forever, since everyone thought that winter was just a part of nature." He paused trying to push away the pain and loneliness. Now he was growing all emotional again, he couldn't hold it back anymore. "Thank you, Jamie." He whispered, feeling tears on the corners of his eyes.

"We are happy for you Jack." North said softly, "We all share the same guilt of leaving you alone for so long, whenever you tried to break in the North Pole, and messing with Bunny's egg hunts, you were begging for attention, but we turned you down."

"It's okay," Jack stopped North, "you guys are very busy people, I shouldn't go around bothering you."

"But still, we should have paid more attention to you." North insisted.

Jack shrugged lazily, "It was nice to know that you guys could see me, I was happy when I learned that immortals could see each other, at least I had someone to talk to."

"Hm…" North mumbled, "Iz it me, or is it getting very cold in here?"

Sandy wrapped his arms around himself.

"Sorry, it's probably me, and all the frozen parts of the North Pole." Jack hugged his staff playfully.

"Then we better get started."

To avoid freezing anything else, they stayed at the back of the Pole. Sandy patted the snow covered floor signaling Jack to land.

"Oh" the steaks of wind that lifted him disappeared, setting Jack down to the ground. It felt good to finally feel the floor again.

"So…" Jack began awkwardly, "what now?"

Sandy pointed at his staff, Jack raised it up, "yeah?"

Sandy pointed at the floor again.

"You want me to drop it?"

The guardian nodded.

"Okay…" the winter spirit released his staff; it instantly turned into a plain piece of wood once it was out of his grasp.

"Now what?" Jack was clueless of what he's even doing there. A series of images flashed above Sandy's head, but the hellion couldn't interpret what he was saying.

Sandy gave up on the pictures. He began to write in the air with dream sand, that said _try to hold back the power._

"Hold back? But how? I've been trying to do it for weeks" Jack snarked.

_Do not let it control you, frost is power, you are it's master, do not let it take over you. Let your mind form a bond with your power to control it._

"Bond" Jack repeated, he has always been a fast learner, but now he didn't get in anymore.

_Inhale, try to hold it back._

Jack did as told, he could feel the power surge inside of him, "whoa"

_Try again, _Sandy wrote, _concentrate this time._

"Concentrate," now he gets it, he wasn't trying to control his power before, he was just forcing it back. Jack inhaled deeper, following Sandy's instructions on bonding his mind and power. A stronger surge of power seemed to be pounding against his rib cage. He felt his body temperature increase slightly and the trails of frost disappeared from the sleeves of his hoodie.

Sandy motioned at the tree, telling him to shoot ice at it.

Jack extended took his staff and shot a beam of ice at the tree without even making contact with it. It felt great, he just thought about shooting and his staff seemed to know what he was thinking.

The winter spirit cheered before drawing near a tree and gently laying a finger on the bark, which surprisingly didn't freeze over. "Sandy, we did it!"

Sandy clapped happily and blasted dream sand in the sky as a form of confetti.

Still, his powers reacted to the joy and happiness Jack felt, making ice shoot right out of it, nearly hitting Sandy who fortunately ducked away just in time.

_You still need to learn how to control your power with emotions._

"Yeah" Jack was smiling brightly.

They spent the rest of the day doing different kinds of methods. Jack was a fast learner, he would have himself under control in no time.

A dark spider was sitting on the snow covered roof of Santoff Claussen without teir awareness. It was a form of a nightmare, one that Pitch has sent to keep an eye on them. it crawled off the roof, and made it's way to the nightmare king's lair.


	3. Ambush

_It was hot, scorching hot. The heat seemed to radiate everywhere around the room, beginning to become unbearable. Presuming it was just the summer heat, Jamie shut his eyes tighter, throwing off the useless blanket on top of him._

_The suffocating scent of smoke lingered around the room, but Jamie was too groggy to wake up and check what it is. Probably it was just someone having a barbeque outside on a hot summer night. It made sense, his window was always open and his neighbors loved barbeques. Brightness flashed around like the turbulent waved of the ocean. It was day time, he had over slept again. He grabbed his pillow and pressed it over his head to block out the sunlight. Strangely, he felt his desk lamp steaming. _

_Then he realized it wasn't even summer, it was almost winter! It couldn't possibly be this hot. He forced his eyes open and jolted upright to find himself engulfed in the mouth of a flame, thick smoke filled the air, everything was ablaze._

_His home was on fire. He yelped, jumping down his bed and landing on the small part of the floor that was still clear of fire._

_He was hyperventilating; he couldn't breathe thought the thick smoke all around him, he couldn't see very well ether._

_In instance he ran for the door, only to find it blocked by a flaming wooden board that used to be the door frame. He panicked, there was no way out, everything was turned into ashes, and the flame was closing in._

_There was only one way out, it was the window that was trailed with flames. Hesitantly Jamie trudged towards it, feeling the hot substance blistering his tender flesh._

_Tears were streaming down his face as he kept his pace up until he reached the window. He looked out of it; there wasn't any firemen, no fire truck, no one to put out the flame._

_The boy soon found himself afraid to jump. He gripped the window sill a little too hard that the wooden surface turned into ashes. The curtain above it collapsed, setting the linen cloth on fire and blocking the way out of the window. Jamie began to sob, the blisters on his feet were stinging, giving him no choice but to sit on the floor weakly crying for help._

_All hope was lost; he was going to die in the midst of the flames. Too scared to think of anything else, the child pulled his knees to his chest and began to sob uncontrollably._

_He didn't hear someone calling his name right around the halls. He see the burning wood blocking the doorway being frosted over. He didn't notice Jack, the winter spirit bust in and collapse onto the floor across him._

"_Jamie!" he yelled, getting his believers attention. Jamie lifted his head, his eyes lit up to see Jack._

"_Get out of here, now! The path is cleared, hurry up and escape!" the teen was gasping for air as he pulled himself up with shaking knees. It made Jamie worry, Jack was a winter spirit, he couldn't possibly survive in the midst of a flame. His pale skin was reddened with the fresh burned marks he received from breaking in, his hoodie was half burned and his hair wasn't even white anymore._

"_But what about you? Your gonna die here!" Jamie refused to leave his side._

"_And you will to if you don't get out of here" the guardian said weekly, his legs gave out, hitting his knees on the hard wooden floor. He let out a strangled cry of pain before shoving Jamie towards the clear path._

"_No!" Jamie remained there, refusing to escape without his friend. Jack couldn't even speak anymore, his breath was hitched; his eyes were screwed shut as he lay unmoving._

"_No…" Jamie began to cry again. The flames grew wilder around them and Jack's chest promptly ceased heaving. He was dead; he was dead because of him._

Reality pulled him out of his dream. Jamie's eyes shot open instantly, untangling himself from the blanket wrapped around him before sitting up panting.

His house was perfectly fine, nothing was on fire and Jack wasn't dead on the floor.

It was just another nightmare.

Jamie began to whimper; with all the horrible dreams over night he couldn't distinguish which was reality and which was fake. He's been having all kinds of nightmares everyday, either about someone dying, falling off a cliff, drowning, everything that is horrible.

He didn't tell the guardians about it yet, even Jack. Now he just really wanted Jack by his side, he was scared, darkness surrounded him and he is frightened. Every time he closes his eyes, he sees something bad

Jack hasn't visited for 2 weeks, it was beginning to worry him, Jack visited every night, why would he suddenly stop? With all these nightmares, it's bound to be Pitch.

What if something bad happened to Jack?

Jamie tried not to think of that, he had enough to think about for one day. He turned on his nightlight, afraid to go back to sleep.

Looking out the window, he saw the full moon that hung high above the sky, shining some of it's light down the open window somehow assuring him that everything was gonna be alright. He remembered Jack telling him that the moon watches over every child, that it chose the guardians to protect the children of the world. But now he never felt safe anymore, darkness was everywhere around him, he is never safe.

* * *

Deep below the realms of the Nightmare King, Pitch Black stood at the center of the room with a hand behind his back and the other holding a black staff made of black sand.

The fresh, welcoming scent of children's fear filled the air, making Pitch laugh of joy.

"Oh poor Jamie, having trouble sleeping?" he jeered, looking into a dark black ball where he could see the child's every movement.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he continued to taunt, even though the child couldn't hear him.

"Don't worry my little friend, there will still be more and more to come." Snapping his fingers, the image of Jamie disappeared from the ball switching to the view of the spider that sat on the rafters of the North Pole.

Yetis and elves bustling around, it was almost Christmas, the children's' favorite time of the year, and also the happiest times. It's not going to be this year; Pitch will make sure of it. "Just keep up your preparations North, you will never see it coming." With one quick movement of his pale hand, the black ball disappeared into dust.

He turned to nearly a hundred of nightmare horses lined up behind him, "my army is ready. He raised one of his hands and the fearlings began to depart, flying through the bed frame to begin their reign of terror.

With only one horse to spare, the nightmare king climbed on, flying out his lair as well.

* * *

He followed the rest of the horses on their way to the North Pole. Pitch extended his hand, looking at his long finger nails trailed with black sand, he smirked.

Now that Jack has his powers under control, he could finally visit Jamie without frosting anything over.

He eventually fond his believer, curled up on his bed with a blanket over his head. Something wasn't right. Jack gently pushed open the window, soundlessly landing on the wooden floor of his bed room. "Jamie," he whispered.

Upon hearing this, the child tensed up.

With the blanket over his shoulders Jack didn't see, "Jamie." He called again.

Jamie recognized the voice, he just didn't know if it was real or not. He peeked over the blanket and saw Jack walking towards him.

Without hesitation the child latched himself onto his waist, hugging him tightly.

"Hey, hey what's wrong?" Jack asked, grabbing hold of his arms, loosening his grip. He scooted down to his eye level, "What's wrong?"

Jamie sniffled, driving away the tear that was close to falling from his eye. "Where were you? I was scared the whole week."

Jack smiled, "I just had a few problems with my powers that's all."

"I thought you were never coming back! I had a nightmare where you-"

"What!?" Jack didn't let him continue, his expression turned serious, "what do you mean nightmare? When did this all start?"

"I had a nightmare a while ago, just one, "Jamie lied. "I was just scared,"

"Well what was it about?" the winter spirit picked him off the floor, setting him back down on his bed, "everything's gonna be alright, just tell me."

"My house was on fire, and nobody knew about it." he paused letting a tear fall freely down his face. "Then you came but you got burnt..."

"Hey, I won't be taken down so easily," he wrapped an arm around his shoulder as a form of comfort, "if I have to fight, I'll fight."

But he could feel something else troubling the child, "are you sure you haven't been having nightmares? How bout all the other nights?"

"I didn't have any dreams on the other nights" he admitted.

Jack shifted, "well whatever happens, I want you to remember that we'll always be here, me and the guardians will protect you, I wouldn't leave you either." he looked into Jamie's fear filled eyes, "I'll never let anyone hurt you, just remember that."

Jamie nodded hesitantly.

"Now go back to bed, I'll get Sandy to come to you later."

"Wait!" Jamie clung on his arm, "can you stay here? At least until I fall asleep?"

"Sure kiddo" Jack pulled the blankets to his shoulders as the child lay down on his side.

He waited patiently by the dresser in front of the child's bed. Jamie was able to fall asleep quickly, like he hasn't gotten any rest for days. Something was up, and Jamie hasn't been telling the truth. One single nightmare couldn't possibly frighten a child so much. Judging from the dark bags under his eyes, Jamie hasn't been sleeping well. Jack knew perfectly that Pitch was behind it.

Stealthily, Jack sneaked to the window, trying not to make any possible noise. "Take me home." He cooed before he was carried off to the North Pole by a streak of wind.

* * *

"North!" Jack darted in, bringing a breeze of wind along with him that almost putting out the lit furnace.

"Jack?" the jolly man got out of his large red chair. "Where have you been? It's late."

"At Jamie's, he's been having nightmares. You don't think Pitch has anything to do with it?" Jack mused stuffing his hands in his pouch.

"Perhaps, I have very bad feeling about this; my belly seems like a bottomless pit." North looked up at the moon, "But Manny hasn't given us a sign."

"How can you tell when it's always blocked out by clouds?" Jack pointed out.

"But today, it iz not, it's a good sign. Now go to bed, you have another day ahead of you." North commanded, like a father to his son.

Just as Jack was about to saunter to his room, the nearby window exploded, making Jack jump and North drop his book that he was plucking out of the shelf.

"Rimsky Korsakov!"

Dark horses poured in endlessly like alluvium.

North ran for his dual swords that he carelessly left propped against the red chair on the other side of the room.

Jack began freezing the swarm of fearlings coming towards him with his staff, still confused and surprised by the sudden ambush. He froze the ground, causing some to slip away, but the nightmares still kept coming. Fearlings were everywhere around him, blocking his vision with nothing but darkness.

He struggled to peek at North, who trapped in a tight circle of fearlings; he could hear his dual blades slash trough the army or dark horses with ease. "Jack!" he hollered, "the lever! Get the others!"

The winter spirit acted immediately, calling in the wind to help them. The windows lashed open, driving dozens of fearlings to the wall, disappearing into sand as they made contact. Then he made a beeline for the golden lever that sat in front of the globe, with his staff held in front of his chest as a form of defense.

He rode the long streak of wind, blowing away the fearlings that were coming at him; some were swooping at him in a downward motion.

Horses continued to pour in the window, but Jack, he was more powerful now. A strong surge of ice suddenly shot out the tip of his staff, the room was suddenly thirty degrees colder. Jack did not stop, he trailed towards the level like a bullet train until he finally reached it.

He grabbed the handle immediately and thrust in downwards, the Northern lights stretched across the sky. Jack was caught off guard; a trail of darkness grabbed hold of his ankle and flung him hard against the wall. The sudden impact knocked the breath out of him, he lay flat on the floor with his staff out of reach, he was completely defenseless.

"Jack!" North called in concern, breaking through the dark sand only to be blocked by another ward.

Jack tried to pull himself together, but the pain on his spine made it impossible. The black horses were coming at him. He panicked, fumbling through the floor for his staff, unaware tat it was on the other side of the room.

He was breathing so quickly, his heart rammed against his rib cage. He suddenly didn't know what to do, he couldn't think clearly, everything was just happening so fast.

He outstretched a hand; his pale palms suddenly glowed blue then a large chunk of blue light suddenly flew out of his finger tips, freezing the fearlings in front of him.

"Woah" he stared at his own palms in astonishment. "How did I do that?" he scrambled to his feet and ran to obtain his staff.

As North continued to fend off the nightmares, he felt something dark and sinister form behind him.

"North!" Jack warned in sudden shock, "It's Pitch!"

Before North got the chance to turn slash his head off Pitch jabbed his sharp fingernail on his elbow, "Merry Christmas, North" then he disappeared, along with the army of fearlings that morphed into darkness.

Still unsure of what just happened, North stood there dazed, his hand landing on the cut behind his elbow.

"North!" Jack flew to him, "are you okay?"

A hole suddenly formed in the middle of them both, a pair of ears popped out first, followed by the Pooka who took the time to examine the scenario. "What the bloody hell happened in here?"

* * *

**Hm…just a short author's note: I don't know where I am going now…**


	4. Hunt Gone Worng

Bunny glanced around wildly, his gaze diverted to every corner of the room. The entire space looked more like a hurricane's aftermath. Chips of wood were strewn across the floor. The silk banners that hang from the balcony were ripped into shreds, looking more like wild vines entwined on the metal rail. Remnants of black sand from the dark horses sunk in the cracks of the boards. Much to his relief, every continent of the globe was still flickering will golden-yellow lights.

"North, are you okay?" Jack's voice rang in his thoughts making him turn to North to see him still on his knees in the middle of the globe room, seeming to have slipped into a trance, trying to understand the odd feeling inside of him.

"North, are you okay?" Jack repeated, this time his voice quivered slightly. North shook away from his thoughts. "I…I am fine my boy. But you? You're the one who got hit."

Jack shook his head, "It doesn't hurt."

"Are you sure? Ya two don't look so fine to me." Bunny hoped to him, helping Jack in aiding him to get on to his feet. "All right fill me in, mind tellin' me what happened?"

"Pitch happened," Jack stated angrily getting a hold of his staff and clutching it tightly. "A bunch of nightmares began diving in the window all of a sudden, then Pitch came."

"What? Pitch came? It wasn't just his fearlings?" Bunny asked in shock, it wasn't like Pitch to show himself when all of his fearlings are attacking. "Well what did he do?"

"Pitch appeared in the shadows behind North." Jack paused and turned to the toy maker, "I don't know what happened."

"He just stabbed his finger on my elbow, nothing serious but a small scratch." North said standing a little straighter.

"But why would he do that if he didn't have a purpose?" Bunny mused, "what about Frostbite?"

"No, I was just thrown to the wall a few times." The winter spirit perched himself on the hook of his staff.

Grains of black sand from the rafters fall gently from the force of wind like delicate frail snowflakes caught in a strip of wind. It only frightened The Sandman as he landed at the center of the globe room in his little air craft carved out of his golden dream sand.

A huge question mark associated with his shocked expression. A series of images began playing in a motion so quick that nobody could understand him.

"Relax Sandy, it was just a couple of nightmares." North spread his arms wide to say that everyone was okay, but Jack wasn't sure of that. North wasn't okay; he looked at the expression in his eyes. He looked troubled, distracted and uneasy, but he wouldn't admit it, Jack nearly thrown himself off-balance in worry. "North are you okay?" he whispered to the man standing right in front of him. North turned half-body to face the worried sprite and gave him a wink. "Of course I am."

"But…" Jack wanted to dispute and point out the rather obvious facts that he isn't okay, but he was cut off by a certain loud gasp.

They all turned to the doorway to find Tooth gaping with her hand over her mouth. She was dumbfounded, unable to move for a full minute before she began panicking.

"Oh North, I came as soon as we could but I was so far away from the North Pole I wasn't able to come here immediately!"

North raised a hand to stop her from saying anything further. "Tooth, it iz okay, I know you are busy at this time of year."

"It just all happened so fast," Jack murmured loud enough for everyone to hear. He was staring at the ground, recalling what recently happened. The fearlings only seem to be after North. Jack remembered a fearling trying to fling him away when he got hold of the lever. So why didn't Pitch want the guardians to assemble? Why did he only get North when he was standing right there?

"But what happened?" Tooth hovered above them.

"Pitch is up to who knows what again." North lumbered to the fireplace, picking up a small rectangular box that was a medicine kit. He brought out a few bandages and alcohol and started cleaning out the wound on his elbow.

Jack jumped off his staff to stand beside North, examining the small scratch. Nothing seems to be wrong with it. It just looks like an ordinary scratch with crimson beginning to scab over it.

"What's that?" Tooth asked in concern peering over Jack's shoulder.

"Nothing is wrong Tooth." After North was done treating the scratch, he turned to his fellow guardians, "keep your guard up, you never know when Pitch might attack again."

"But the question is, why is he even attacking?" Bunny said, "I mean, we already defeated him, his fearlings have turned against him from the last time we saw him, and nobody fears him anymore."

"Jamie has had these nightmares lately." Jack informed.

"What? Why didn't you tell us?" Bunny asked.

"Because he didn't tell me," Jack replied. "He claims he only had one nightmare, but I know he's been having them every night, he doesn't look well rested."

"He could attack us right, but attacking a child with nightmares, that's just low." Bunny frowned shaking his head.

"Maybe he's just using Jamie to increase his fear." The winter spirit speculated.

"Your right," North agreed. "Pitch wouldn't be powerful enough to make that much fearlings if nobody feared him."

"Jamie must be frightened, that poor child!" Tooth wailed.

Sandy began making a serial of images out of dream sand, saying that there might be more than one child having nightmares. He also explained that he gave each child enough dreams every night.

"You are right, there might be more than one child that is terrified, Pitch must have given them nightmares while you are away." North gripped the handle of his swords tightly. "We must do something about it."

"Face it North, it's normal for children to have nightmares once in a while, it's unstoppable, all we can do is dealt it." Bunny announced calmly.

North nodded in understanding. Children could have bad dreams depending how their mind works, like when a child is depressed, sometimes it may cause atrocious reverie without Pitch's will. Sandy could easily be able to turn those monstrous delusions into a sweet dream.

However, the guardians are clueless on what Pitch might be planning, leaving them to surmise whatever it was. The moon was beginning to get blocked out by the dark strips of clouds again. Maybe it was the reason Manny isn't able to send a warning.

"So what now?" Jack sobered, breaking the awkward silence that filled the room.

North sighed, "I don't know, the best thing to do is to keep doing our jobs." He turned to Tooth, "are the toys destroyed."

"No, from what I saw none of them were." She chirped.

None of the fearlings were able to escape the globe room; Jack has made sure of that.

The jolly man clasped both of his bulky hands together. "The meeting is over," he dismissed them; "you are all very busy, you should get going."

"Just call us when ya think somethin's wrong, okay?" Bunny said before diving into his tunnels.

"Yeah, we'll come help anytime!" Tooth waved them a good-bye before flying out the door.

Sandy formed a hat out of dream sand and saluted, before climbing back to his sand air craft and flying out the window.

"Now come," North wrapped an arm around Jack's shoulder. "Get some rest; you have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Are you really sure your okay?" Jack looked into his eyes.

"Yes, I am" North reassured. It warms his heart, knowing the little winter spirit cared so much. He grinned and patted him in the back, "good night."

Jack couldn't hide his look of concern as he said good night, taking one last before shutting the door.

North slumped, thinking back on Jack's repeated question, he wasn't sure if he was okay anymore. There is just a strange feeling inside him that he didn't understand. Slowly, he sauntered to his own room on the other side of the hallway.

* * *

Jack was having a hard time sleeping with all the horrible thoughts and possibilities infesting his mind. He tossed and turned around his covers, bolting awake and pointing his staff at the door every time he heard noise. Slamming of doors could be heard everywhere. Jack quickly grabbed his staff and went out the door to find the yetis getting their supplies from a room. He mentally slaps himself, "calm down"

But it was hard to calm down knowing that Pitch Black might be planning something. It was hard to close his eyes without knowing if North was alright or not. It was hard to even think straight.

He sprang awake for the third time when he heard what seemed like a faint shriek of a nightmare horse right at his door step, unaware that his staff that he left propped against the wall had been knocked over the other time he sprawled into bed.

He panicked when he couldn't feel the presence of the wooden stick beside him, what if Pitch was attacking the pole at this moment and took the staff away from him so he wouldn't have the power to stop him. Instantly he jumped out of bed and dashed to the door, throwing it open and raising his hand with all the power gathered in his palms. He looked down at the source of the noise; it was just an elf roving around the halls aimlessly with his bell jingling.

Jack shut the door, trying to make his breathing even again. He groped for the light switch and turned on the lights, finding his staff knocked over on the floor.

The winter spirit trudged to the window, pushing his hair back in frustration. He looked at the starless sky, by now the moon was already completely blocked out by the dark clouds. "What's going on?" he clutched his staff against his chest. "Could you at least tell me something?" he collapsed back into his bed, he couldn't bare it anymore, he needed to find out that was happening. "Pitch's lair," he whispered. That was it.

Pitch didn't know who he is messing with. He is already weak; Jack would be able to take him down especially at this time when his belief is spreading across the world.

He's been to his lair, twice actually. It was near his lake in Burgess, which puts Jamie in a lot of danger. He has to find it; soon, maybe tomorrow maybe he will be able to find out what Pitch might be up to.

Walking back to the door with his staff, he shot a string of frost at it, muffling the noise that kept him from sleeping.

* * *

North was awoken by the tingle of the elves that were passing by his window. He lifted one of his arms to rub his eyes only to find them numb. His neck was sore and his whole body felt so weak and broken down that he could hardly even keep his eyelids up.

Slowly, he sat up, his ribs burned with fury from the sudden movement. He ignored it, forcing himself on to his feet with all his joints complaining.

He wondered why he was feeling so strange. He felt old, well he was old, but he never actually felt old except for the time his powers were kaput. Realization set in, he lost his powers again, and it was Pitch's doing.

He used one of his swords as a cane again and rushed to the globe room.

The globe was still filled with flickering lights, then why was he loosing his powers? He thought back the night those fearlings attacked, and Pitch! Appearing right behind him and maybe injecting poison in him, that was it! "Where is Jack?" he asked one of the yetis standing by him.

The grey furred yeti explained that Jack has left since dawn in search for Pitch's lair in yetish which only made North feel uncontrolled dread. "What!" he snapped "Why did you let him out, it's too dangerous!"

The brown furred yeti on the other side said that Jack snuck out the back window when they tried to stop him by blocking the front door.

North sighed and mouthed the word idiot; Jack never come and go through doors. Without a moment to loose, he grabbed hold of the level and thrust it downwards throwing the northern lights in the sky.

* * *

Jack cursed for the third time. He's been flying around in the stupid clearing for hours trying to find Pitch's lair. "It was here, I remember correctly it was here!" he rubbed one of his eyes in exhaustion. He wasn't sure if it was the right direction or the right place. When he first heard his sister's voice, he just kept following it without keeping track of where he was.

Jack lay on the ground to get a moment of rest, he still had to give the other half of the world a snow day, he couldn't stay here for long.

He moaned, giving snow days to children was always the best thing, now he just felt lazy and tired, he didn't get enough rest the other night.

Moaning again, he sat up right summoning a trail of wind that picked him off the ground.

The lights were stretched out right in front of him, the lights! North was calling them to the pole. Jack gathered a stronger for of wind getting ready to blast himself to the pole full speed, but something down the forest caught his eye.

A dark formless shadow was drifting across the green grass followed by a large grey creature that was running after it. Unmistakable it was Bunnymund, running after one of Pitch's minions. Jack immediately landed down the forest to help him; he flew beside the Pooka, "Bunny what's going on?"

Bunny turned his head for a brief moment before locking his eyes to the thing he was chasing. "I caught this fearling when I was on my way to the pole, I think it might lead us to Pitch."

"I was trying to find Pitch's lair, but it wasn't there anymore." Jack inquired.

"Yes he's probably moved some place else." Bunny quickened his pace; his hind legs pushed him as far as they could while Jack tried to keep up.

The formless creature suddenly morphed into the ground. Bunny stopped dead on his tracks, a little surprised, for a moment he just stood there but he suddenly understood what was going on now. "Crikey! It's headin' for the warren!"

The massive rabbit quickly opened one of his tunnels, "Quick Jack!"

The winter spirit dove after him in the tunnel. Once they reached the end of it all they saw was chaos, fearlings everywhere, taking either the form of dark horses or their original formless shadow that Jack was never seen before. Without warning he began swinging his staff in different directions, freezing a dozen of the formless creatures.

It was horrible; the fearlings were plucking out the flowers that gave birth to the eggs. Bunny tried to stop them, kicking them, throwing his egg bombs and boomerangs, but there were just too many of them.

Jack was already hyperventilating. The fearlings were coming at different directions, there seems to be even more than the night in the pole. It was a nightmare, a living nightmare, he wasn't afraid, or he wasn't so sure of that anymore.

The fearlings were lunging at him. What caught him off guard was the whips that came behind him. One took the wooden staff away from him, the other two tied themselves around his wrist, pinning him against the wall.

"Jack!" the Pooka made a mad dash for the trapped boy only to be blocked by a wall of fearlings.

Jack twisted his wrist trying to freeze the black sand, but frost just kept coming out of his finger tips.

"Bunny! Behind you!" Jack screamed at the top of his lungs when he saw Pitch appeared behind him.

It was too late, Pitch jabbed his finger in Bunny's furry body before he disappeared into the shadows with his fearlings smashing into the shadows of the warren.

The whips that held Jack to the wall disappeared, dropping him to the ground, making him choke from the brute force. He looked over at Bunny, "Oh no…."


	5. Missing Piece

The birth place of spring was a complete wreckage. Shriveled spring flowers sprawl across the stone pathways, their frail red petals gently being ripped away by the mourning zephyr. Lifeless grains of black sand conflated with vibrant lilac paint filled the river. Sear brown foliage snapped from their branches, drifting and swaying with the direction of the solemn wind that encircled the dull atmosphere. The dirt from the crushed rocks mixed with mud and soil from the uprooted spring flowers, coating what used to be the mint green hemp with ugly grey substance.

Once Jack got a hold of his bearings, he instantly shot upright, only to regret his decision. His bones protested, his spine ached, his rib cage throbbed from the sudden impact with the stone ground. Dizziness filled his head, his vision beclouded with delirium; he couldn't stand upright on his two feet without toppling over. Reaching out as far as he could to obtain his staff that was a few feet away from him, he managed to drag himself all the way with his arms, using his staff for support to force himself on his feet.

He shook his head several times, chasing away the vertigo that kept him from thinking straight. His head began to pound; it made him want to curl up in bed all day. He shut his eyes to rest for a brief moment but quickly opened them again once he realized why he was in the warren.

He spun around, expecting to see the tall Pooka waving his boomerangs with a wide smirk, but instead he saw a small grey hare curled up by a rock. E. Aster Bunnymund was no longer the six-foot tall Easter Bunny; he was a regular rabbit that could easily fit into a basket. "Oh no…" Jack ran to him, hoping he was just hallucinating, and that this was all just a dream. He stopped dead on his tracks in front of dozing Bunnymund, to his relief the heaving of his small chest signified that he was indeed alive, but it wasn't a dream, and he wasn't seeing things. Bunnymund really shrunk into a regular sized rabbit again.

"Bunny…" Jack cooed lightly poking the little rabbit with the hook of his staff. "Bunny!" he called again, a little louder, but Bunnymund didn't even stir. Jack shook his head and slipped the butt of his staff under his fluffy belly, covering it with a light layer of frost.

"What the?" Bunny jumped a few feet and shuddered. "Ugh its freezing," he looked over to Jack, "how many times did I tell you not to do that?" but something seemed wrong, very very wrong, "hey how did you get so tall?"

At a serious situation like this, Jack couldn't help but smile a little, Bunny doesn't seem so threatening when he is fluffy.

"Wait a minute," Bunny stared at his little paws, then at his tiny feet, then ran his paws through his fluffy belly coated with a layer of thin floral frost. "What the bloody heck?" that was all he could say. Then it all came back to him, the chase with the fearling, the fight with the nightmare horses and Pitch!

"Pitch," he cursed in his mind. Jack crouched down next to him, still getting used to Bunny's tiny form and trying his best not to burst into laughter. He mentally scolded himself, this was a serious situation and he knew that.

"How the bloody heck did this happen?" Easter didn't go wrong this year, it was perfect. He treated the children with endless baskets of eggs, each with chocolate filling their hollow shells. The children believed in him, they can see him. it was impossible for him to shrink when they could _see _him.

"Pitch that stinkin' rat bag," he said through gritted teeth, shaking off the dirt that smeared his fur, causing his fur to fluff up, also making him look even puffier. Jack suppressed a grin. In a situation as serious as this, especially for Bunny who was a tiny defenseless rabbit, it was no time for fun and laughter.

"How is this bloody possible?" Bunny flailed his paws in exasperation. He couldn't even lift his boomerangs without falling over.

"Pitch and his nightmare sand, I saw him right behind you," Jack stood up and looked around.

"Yes I know, that rat bag just poked me with his finger," Bunny hissed in annoyance. Realization struck him hard on the back of his head, he remembered seeing Jack held to the wall by fearlings, "what did Pitch do to you then? I saw those fearlings holding you down."

"Yeah, but…they just left." Jack stared at the ground in speculation. It was like Pitch just wanted him out of the way.

"Then good as long as they don't reach ya," Bunny silently let out a sigh of relief. He didn't want to admit but clearly would do anything to protect their youngest member.

Jack was feeling déjà vu, he revoked the same thing happened at the North pole, when he was thrown against the wall the time he tried to interfere. "North!" he uttered all of a sudden, the lights flashed in his mind; he spotted it before he went down to the warren. "The lights! North is calling for us!"

"That's right! Crikey, something must be going on there." Bunny said grimly.

"Then let's go!" the winter spirit didn't even bother to ask, he picked up Bunny by the scruff and got ready to take off.

"Oi! Hold on! I ain't travelin' like this!" his feet kicked the blank air as he tried to jump out of the sprite's cold grip.

"Then how else are you gonna travel?" Jack challenged, setting the fluffy bunny down the ground. The Pooka frowned, although it looked more like he was pouting. He thumped his foot repeatedly. Jack was right, he couldn't dig a tunnel, he was too small. The permanent tunnels won't open since it doesn't obey a tiny little critter's command; it would only listen to a 6 foot tall Pooka.

Bunny huffed, he hated being tiny, "fine." he allowed himself to be picked up by the immortal teen.

Jack practically stuffed him in the pouch of his hoodie and gathered a tornado like force of wind and blasting off like a speeding rocket, out the warren and high up in the sky, about 60,000 feet in full speed heading for the North Pole.

Rabbits can't fly; it's a reason why he's so afraid of getting on the sleigh. Tooth has her wings, Sandy has his dust cloud, North can ride his sleigh and Jack has the wind. Bunny is the only one whose feet has never left the ground.

The Pooka cowered inside the pouch, trying to ignore the wind blowing hard against his fur. He shuddered, the internal lining of the linen hoodie was freezing sub-zero, but it WAS Jack they were talking about.

The pressure of the air was deafening especially when he has such a strong sense of hearing; he began to wonder how Jack coped with it every time he flies. Poking his head out slightly, he saw the beautiful night sky. They were high above the clouds where the Northern lights were still visible; the iridescent beams were dancing around them in an up and down motion. Flying was indeed a great experience, Bunny was enjoying what he's seeing, but got a little sick when he thought of how high above the ground they were.

On the other hand, the wayward lad was worried sick, the Northern lights were still casted, meaning North needed their help. He didn't dare think about the reasons why he needed help, he just hope it wasn't Pitch and his fearlings again, he's has enough of them for one day. He still had a dozen of questions loaded in his mind, and it has become a natural instinct for him to ask the moon even if he didn't get an answer every time. He didn't have the slightest tint of hope that the moon would answer his questions today, it was blocked out by dark strips of clouds once again, erasing it's visibility from the sky.

He landed ungracefully in front of the entrance of the North Pole, stumbling into the two yetis carrying their spears that guarded the front door for intruders. The abominable-snow-men looked at each other in confusion, speaking their lines of yetish whilst stepping out of the way for Jack to enter, it was the first time he actually used the door.

He was greeted by Tooth, who prioritized his safety and dashed towards him full speed. Squeezing his bone to check if they were broken, feeling his temperature and of course prying his mouth open to check his teeth while throwing various questions at him.

"Jack, where have you been? We have been waiting for you all day; I was just about to head outside and look for you. Have you seen Bunny? Have you been with him?" she was talking so fast that Jack began to back away from her, "Tooth…"

She didn't want to let him continue and kept on talking. She failed to notice Jack's hand clutching something squirming and moving in his pouch.

"Get your cold hands off ma foot!" Bunny spat, making Tooth peer over his shoulder expecting Bunnymund to barged through the doors. "Did I hear Bunny? I'm pretty sure I heard Bunny."

"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Jack gestured at his pouch. Bunny's head poked out, squirming away from the tiny pouch and leaping on to the floor. "Not. A. Word." He said sternly, glaring at the fairy.

Tooth just gaped, her hand flying in front of her mouth before she began to fret again. "Did Pitch attack the warren too? Oh goodness Pitch attacked the warren. Jack, North just lost his powers, and I think the same thing is happening to Bunny too. Oh my we have to tell the others!"

Jack could barely make out what she was saying, although she did understand some parts of her speech, "what happened to North?"

"He's feeling old again…" Tooth replied, "Come on." She headed towards the globe room.

Jack and Bunny followed close behind, or at least Bunny tried to follow, but he could go a few feet without almost being stepped on by a rushing yeti. He leaped on to Jack's shoulder, "it's probably safer up here."

Jack smirked, Bunny was no longer a tough and strong Pooka, right now he was just a rabbit with an attitude.

Tooth practically threw open the doors to the globe room and began to rein her panic everywhere, "North! Sandy! Pitchattackedthewarrentooandhegotbunnyaswellandnow he'sloosinghispowerswhatdowedo!?"

Only Sandy was at the center of the room. He conjectured a question mark of sand that floated above his head. Tooth slouched, not wanting to repeat everything she said since she was already parched from talking all day long. She simply pointed at Bunny to jumped of Jack's shoulder down the floor with a scowl..

Sandy just stood there dumbfounded for a long moment. He wasn't there to see Bunny loose his powers and turn small the first time. He just couldn't help it, the little man scattered golden dream sand and began giggling wildly.

"It is not funny," Bunny fumed.

Tooth, who was trying her best not to laugh with Sandy flew in between them, "Sandy where's North? He has to know that Pitch attacked the Warren…."

"Iz Jack alright?" the toy maker's voice broke their conversation. North hasn't even opened the doors yet he's already demanding for Jack's safety.

"Yes he's fine," Bunny retorted. "Pitch didn't touch him."

The doors slowly opened, revealing old North limping across the room with his two swords used as canes that aided him in standing up, Jack and Tooth rushed to his side and helped him sit on his usual comfy chair. "I used to be happy that I never feel old." North stated jovially.

Jack cracked a smile, but it instantly faded into a concerned look, "pitch's black sand causes you to lose power."

"Tell me what happened to the warren," North demanded, leaning back on his seat.

"I was chasin' a fearlin' that was lingerin' in the forest, it suddenly morphed to the ground and I followed it down the warren. That was the time I found a whole herd of fearlins destroying the warren." Bunny explained.

"And what about Jack?"

"I went to help Bunny, but it was like Pitch just wanted me out of the way…" Jack mused.

"Maybe he knows you're too powerful for him, and he'd have to take us out first." Bunny surmised.

North flinched at his acing back, "but big question iz, why does he want to take us out?"

"He hates us, he wants revenge, and he holds a strong grudge, there are a lot of possibilities mate." Bunny said.

"I never really thought we'd see any signs of Pitch for 500 more years." Tooth chirped, "The last time we defeated him, we never seen any sign of him."

"Which is why he'd do anything to get those kids to stop believin' in us." The Pooka turned to North, "keep those Christmas preparations goin' mate."

"Well of course, Christmas must go on, no matter what happens!" the old toy-maker boomed. "But one of you might be next."

"Yeah, what should we do?" Tooth glanced at North, "maybe we should stay together, so we can defend each other."

"Yeah, but how? North can't go anywhere, and you two are too busy to stay here." Bunny pointed out.

"But we can just stay here when we get our job's done," Tooth said. "Right Sandy?"

Sandy hovered above them and gave a thumbs up.

"But you never know when Pitch might strike," North said.

"We'll be back in a flash!" Tooth whirled around the air, "I'll just have to give a few commands to my fairies and Sandy will have to spread a few dreams, and we'll come back as soon as we're done."

North stroked his beard, a little unsure.

"Sounds like a plan," Bunny agreed.

Tooth glanced over at North for his approval. "Perhaps it is a good idea."

"Great!" she squeaked and whooped around, "come on Sandy!" they flew off in instance.

"It's so cold in here," it's only been about 30 seconds and Bunny was already complaining.

"Hey North," Jack spoke. "I'm going to check on Jamie."

"Are you sure? I don't think you should be going outside, Jack." North said.

"Relax, Burgess isn't really that far…I'll be back in a few minutes." Jack compromised. "And besides I still need to deliver a great snow day."

"Okay, but only a short time, I'll bringing a search party if you don't come back by midnight." North threatened jokingly, "I'll have the yetis stuff you in a sack again."

"Yeah," Jack smirked before catching a ride on the wind.

"Relax North," Bunny said as soon as Jack left, "he can take care of himself."

"I just cannot relax when Pitch iz out there doing who knows what!" North tried to stand, but his bones wouldn't let him. "It stinks being old."

"It stinks being tiny," Bunny's ears were plastered to his head as he thumped his foot.

North managed to laugh heartily. It was hard to take Bunny seriously if he was a tiny rabbit.

* * *

Jack wasn't thinking clearly, his thoughts were filled with concern and worry he didn't notice that he was flopping around the air carelessly. He slammed hard against a bill board that finally got him to his senses.

He overlooked the small city of Burgess, scanning every route for nightmare horses of Pitch's minions.

Gently, he landed on Jamie's window, looking in the foggy glass to find the child fast asleep. His chest heaving up and down peacefully, without a doubt, he was dreaming.

It was until the child began squirming and thrashing in the blanket that was wrapped around him. Jack lightly gave the window a shove, pushing it open while he jumped inside without second thoughts. He looked at the frail child; his head cocking side to side on is pillow. Instantly he began trying to shake him awake, gently rocking his form while whispering his name. The child refused to wake up, after a while of thrashing tears began to stream down his face. Jack began to panic; it must be a horrifying nightmare. He grabbed the child's shoulders and shook him harder, screaming him name; no one is bound to hear him anyway.

"Jamie! Wake up!"

Jamie's eyes finally popped open, he was sobbing uncontrollably. He sat up and gripped onto the winter spirit as hard as he can, crying and whimpering into his hoodie.

Jack whispered words of comfort, gently rocking his body and rubbing slow circled on his back only making his whimpers increase.

"It's okay, it's okay," he shushed him, rubbing his back repeatedly, "I'm here, it's okay." the child was trembling in his grasp. Jack tried desperately to pull him out of hos trance, but the child was trapped in an unresponsive state.

* * *

Toothiana never expected this to happen. She just thought it would be normal day of collecting teeth, she didn't know there would be a swarm of unwanted guests.

**Sorry, I guess the attack in the Tooth Palace will just have to take place on the next chapter, this one is getting too long.**


	6. Tables Turned

**I have a lot of ideas in mind, ad now I feel like I have to finish this story quickly to avoid stacking up a pile of in progress crap that can never be continued. It happened to my other stories, but I don't want this one to have the same fate. I don't want to end it randomly either; it would just be a waste of time. So thanks for your reviews, and if you could cook up a climatic ending for this story feel free to throw in your suggestions. I own nothing, and sadly I never will XD enjoy reading.**

**Quick reply to the guest named anon: Of course I wouldn't be annoyed if you review every chapter, I love critique anyway :D  
**

* * *

North roamed around the globe, using his swords as canes to help him stand up. Even if his bones were beginning to protest from the movement, his worry just keep pushing him forward, making him circle the globe in laps, checking for any fading lights. "That one!" he snapped, "the light went out, what is Pitch up to?"

"North," called Bunny who was sitting in front of the fireplace. "Its just a child who stopped believing because they've grown up or something, it's natural and I don't think you should be walking around right now." Another light in the northern side of Australia disappeared. "There! The light went out! What if that child stopped believing because he's having nightmares?"

"Oi, relax mate, it's just one or two lights, we experience it all the time don't we?" Bunny crawled over to the globe; the room seemed a lot larger when he was tiny. "See? There not going out at the same time, it's just normal adult stuff that's all." Bunny reassured.

"I don't know Bunny," North proceeded to rove around again, the tip of his swords tearing up the carpet. "It's just Pitch, I cannot relax, what if there was another attack?"

"There won't be," Bunny said sternly.

"But we cannot be sure," North argued. "You never know when or where Pitch might strike."

"Technically we're useless North, if Pitch attacked the others, what can we do?" Bunny pointed out.

"We will fight!" North retorted, "no matter what the odds."

"The children still believe in us, Pitch id weak against the belief of children." Bunny motioned at the globe. "There are a lot of believers out there who don't fear him."

"That is what I am worried about." North let out a defeated sigh, "Sandy and Tooth, they work every night, unlike us who work on holidays. What if Pitch attacks? Sandy won't be able to deliver dreams, Pitch can easily counter the dreamless sleep with nightmares, and Tooth, she won't be able to collect teeth."

"They'll be back before you know it, North" Bunny addressed.

"And Jack, I should never have let him out." North added, without listening to what Bunny said.

"He's more powerful mate, Pitch and his nightmares are no match for Frostbite."

North shook his head, "I think I've made a terrible mistake, I think we should call them back."

"But they have to do their jobs mate, if they don't, the better chance Pitch could take control over the belief." Bunny stated. North slipped into a trance, mentally arguing with his mind on what was the best thing to do.

"_Oh, you've made a terrible mistake my friend," Pitch grinned, looking at the two guardians through the view of the spider that still clung to the rafters of the pole._

* * *

"Come on girls, we have no time to lose!" Tooth clasped her hands together, darting around full speed while screaming commands at her mini-fairies. She has to move fast to make it to the North Pole early. "Come on move as fast as the light!" she caught a stray fairy by the wing, "San Francisco, district 2!" she stopped at the center of the room panting from yelling a load of commands.

Suddenly the palace was crawling with shadows, moving past them through the surface of the wall. Tooth froze, her mouth agape, _was it an attack again?_

Nightmares were breaking out of the darkness, zipping past her and charging towards a swarm of mini-fairies. Tooth was dazed; it was all happening again, the fearlings were taking her mini-fairies away. She didn't know what to do, this wasn't supposed to happen, it wasn't supposed to go this way. She was stuck hovering at the center of the room, scared, no frightened of the sight. The nightmares were taking away her fairies again, a part of her family, her friends and she was their queen! There bound to be something she can do to protect them.

She screamed somewhat of a war cry before charging towards the large swarm of nightmares, twisting like a torpedo and using her sharp wings to slice through them. She tried to go through as much as she could, speeding towards any horses that dare get in her way. The sand just kept forming into dark horses after they were shattered. The fearlings just kept breaking out of the shadows from the cave. She stopped for a beat to take a closer look, the horses weren't taking the fairies like before, they were flinging them to the wall, knocking them out. Her mini fairies landed limp on the floor like dead insects, some were landing in the pool of water, the water! They'll drown if they didn't wake up in time. Tooth raced towards the pool, ignoring the horses that were trailing behind her. She dove right in the pool with a large splash, her wings struggled against the current but she still managed to scoop up the little fairies in her arms. She pulled herself out of the water, placing the fairies far away from the pool before she fluttered her damp wings and began eliminating fearlings.

Baby Tooth panicked as she blindly ducked away from the whips that threatened to grab hold of her. She fluttered her wings as fast as she could and flew out the cove, intending to warn someone, _anyone_ to help Tooth fight those scary horses.

Tooth's vision blurred, everything seemed to be moving so fast around her, she couldn't keep herself steady. Sweat beaded down her face, she felt her throat burning and her eyes welling up with tears, she was outnumbered, but she still kept fighting even if the fearlings kept coming.

Pitch emerged from the darkest corners of the cave, watching the Tooth fairy whirl around sadistically. He snapped his fingers and the fearlings formed into whips, grabbing Toothiana by the ankle and pulling her over to Pitch.

Tooth squirmed against it's grip but she felt the fearlings grab hold of her wings, taking away her ability to use her wings. Then she felt a sharp item penetrating her feathers before her restraints fell away, dropping her hard on the floor, hyperventilating, eyes flowing with tears as she looked at the havoc that was her Palace. She crawled over to one of her unconscious mini-fairies and scooped them up, cupping her in her hands, "I'm so sorry." But right now she needed to get back to the North Pole to warn Sandy and Jack. It was a race against time. She fluttered her wings weakly and took of suddenly, feeling the cut on her arm burn like a blister.

* * *

Sandy flew high above the clouds in his sand aircraft as the sky began to grow dark. He formed a lump of cloud out of dream sand and hovered higher into the atmosphere, over-looking the city of Michigan filled with tiny flickering street lights. He began wielding his dream sand into streaks that stretched out into the windows and bedrooms of the children.

The twilight deepened. The sky turned a deep purple then faded to black. Stars began to come out and the half moon rose. Somewhere far off, a screech echoed, one that resembled a fearlings' Sandy extended his whips, looking down at his streaks of dream sand that were now being overlapped by brittles of black sand. Instantly Sandy sprinkled his dream sand over the black sand to avoid turning the dreams into nightmares. The screeching sounded again, this time even louder like it was drawing closer.

Sandy jumped as the nightmare horses began charging towards him down from below. He lashed his whips in every direction, eliminating the fearlings that came close. The fearlings formed a circle surrounding Sandy's dust clouds, closing in on him, but Sandy twisted and spun, turning his cloud into a hurricane that shot him high in the air. He crafted a manta ray to ride on before extending his sand whips longer. The horses came from every direction and all the Sandman can do is turn them into his minions. Pitch seemed to be loosing, his nightmare horses were fading until the sky was clear again.

Sandy stood on the back of his sand ray, dazed from the sudden attack. He had to get back to the North Pole, but before he could leave, another army of fearlings stopped him. The army was larger than before, composed of the formless fearlings and the black sand that took the form of dark horses. They all attacked at the same time, and Sandy found himself swarmed again. He blindly lashed his whips around, managing to swipe away a few horses. Pitch Black emerged from the dark clouds, sneaking behind Sandy without registering his knowledge. He extended his hand, stabbing his finger on Sandy's rounded arm and the sandman whipped around, his pupils glazed with shock as he stopped lashing his whips. Pitch let out a menacing laugh, his minions slowly deforming until they faded to nothingness, followed by the nightmare king, transforming into shadows he took off with a long trail of nightmare sand behind him. Sandy glanced at his arm where Pitch's claws dug through; his already wide eyes grew even wider as he saw a small spot of black slowly growing bigger.

* * *

Jack held the trembling Jamie tight in his arms, gently cradling him while whispering reassurances. He caressed the child's back to even out his hitched breaths. "Shh," he lulled. "Don't worry, everything's gonna be alright." His hoodie was already damp with Jamie's tears, as his shivers intensified not because of Jack's cold body temperature but because of the fear Pitch caused. "It's okay, it's okay," Jack whispered over and over, waiting for the child to calm down. Whatever nightmares he's been having, it must be terrible, and he knew it was painful, especially for a child with such strong belief in the guardians. Pitch was using that belief against him through the nightmares; it has affected him a lot that he couldn't tell which reality was anymore. He hardly recognized the child he held in his arms, the child that used to be so talkative whenever he was around now turned into an unresponsive child that seemed to be trapped in a trance. He shifted and the child jumped from the sudden movement, trembling even harder. Jack began to comfort him again, rubbing his back. His other hand balled into a fist that clenched his staff tightly until his knuckles were pure white. Pitch was going to pay.

"Jack, I'm scared…" Jamie whimpered, clinging onto him tighter.

"Don't be," Jack groped for his nightlight and flicked it on. He unhooked the child's arms and held his shoulders to look him in the eye. "Just remember this, I'll always be here, and I will never let Pitch get you."

"What's going on?" Jamie asked his voice quivered.

"Nothing we can't handle," the winter spirit assured with a smile however he wasn't sure what Pitch is up to. A small squeak suddenly rang in his head and Jack thought he was hallucinating but the squeak resounded, buzzing around wildly. He traced the source of where it came from and was surprised to see Baby Tooth tapping the glazed window with her beak while chirping gibberish and he knew it was trouble from the distressing gestures she was giving. Slowly he pried Jamie off of him and pushed open the window. As soon as Baby Tooth got in she began tugging his hoodie, chirping a series of gibberish.

Jack's eyes grew wide in realization, "Tooth!" he turned to the child curled up against the headboard. "Jamie I need to go," as much at it pains him to say, it was a big emergency.

"But," the child protested visibly trembling. Jack hated seeing him like this, he looked out the window then back at his believer, unsure of what to do, then he finally registered Baby Tooth's presence, "baby tooth! You stay here with Jamie and I'll head to the Tooth Palace, okay?" Baby Tooth nodded, turning to Jamie for his answer.

The child weakly nodded. Baby Tooth approached him, gently patting his head with her small hand as comfort while Jack leapt out the window and the wind instantly caught him.

Dark clouds surrounded the night sky, blocking away the half moon that sat high up in the sky. Jack felt the familiar cold touch of the clouds against his feel, but there seemed to be something other that the mass of particles, brushing past his heels. He squinted at the dark clouds, turns out it wasn't dark clouds, it was nightmare sand blended with clouds. The thing that worried Jack the most was that the spot he was standing on was Sandy's favorite place to spread his dreams. _Pitch got Sandy to? _He asked silently, breaking through the field of clouds that were blocking his vision.

Thankfully he saw something moving behind the mass, he just hoped it was Sandy. Using a gust of wild, he blew away the clouds and saw, not Sandy but a stray nightmare horse heading the opposite direction. Jack ran after it, leading him to back to the town of Burgess, he just assumed it was heading for Jamie's house. His anger flared as he surged faster towards the nightmare, almost catching up to it until it morphed into the brick wall of a dark alley. He skidded to a halt, nearly bashing into the wall, he held his staff in front of his, raising his defenses.

Pitch's laughter rebounded off the walls, his dark silhouette swept past him. Jack's eyes grew wide, blasting a beam of ice at his target. The nightmare king's laugh grew louder and louder, the shadow darted around in different directions. Jack's gaze slowly followed it, but it was too fast.

Pitch's figure appeared behind the winter spirit, "It's been a long time Jack."

The immortal teen whipped around, blasting ice at Pitch who quickly blocked it out with his nightmare sand, "it's been a long time since you ruined my plans."

"What do you want?" Jack asked through gritted teeth pointing his staff at Pitch. He was standing dangerously close, too close for comfort.

"Me? Oh I'm glad you asked" Pitch taunted pacing around him with his hands held behind his back, he raised a hand and nightmare horses began blocking the possible places where Jack might escape. "I want revenge, the sweet sweet revenge of hearing you suffer."

Jack gripped his staff tighter, "What did you do to North and the others."

"That's none of your business, I didn't do it to you and you should be thankful." Pitch jeered.

"And why don't you just stab me with your finger so we're over it." Jack sneered.

"Oh that's far off too simple," Pitch wagged his finger. "I want something harder that will crush your heart into bits."

"What do you want?" Jack snapped, "Do anything to me just leave them and Jamie out of this."

"You really do care about them," Pitch ribbed. "But tell you something, if you weren't a guardian would they care about you? If you weren't chosen and something happened to you, would they come for you? And that child you wish to protect will all your life, would he even care?"

"Stop it!" Jack spat, he knew Pitch was lying, but some of it actually felt true.

"Join me, Jack and let's see what the guardians will do," Pitch offered again.

"I will never-"

Pitch interjected, "Join me and I won't hurt you."

"I don't care what you do to me," Jack snapped. "Just leave them out of this!"

"If you join me," Pitch pushed on. "The guardians will just jump to their conclusions again; they'll think you betrayed them just like before. See for yourself. And oh, if you do care about them, then you'd better obey, with one snap of my finger the black sand will start poisoning them, do you really want to see Jack?"

"What?" Jack couldn't stop the word from escaping.

"If you don't do as I say, I will kill the guardians in front of you." Pitch said with a sadistic grin.

Jack blanched at the word kill, he make anything come out of his mouth, his heart ached and his throat space was narrowing.

Pitch smirked, watching the winter spirit's expression amusingly. "So what do you say Jack? Looks like you don't have much of a choice now do you?"

Jack found himself sweating, the thing that he was most unlikely too do. "You monster."

"Why thank you…" Pitch bowed. He motioned at the winter spirit and a streak of nightmare slid onto his back, wrapping around his neck like a dog's collar, invisible at the shade of his hoodie.

"Let's see what the guardians will have to say…."


	7. Frosted Darkness

Baby Tooth glanced at the sleeping child curled up in his blankets, then out the window and then back at the sleeping child, unsure of what to do. Jack commanded him to stay and look after Jamie but the child fell asleep as soon as he left and Baby Tooth could feel the urgency her mother was feeling now, and where was Jack, it's been too long. He said he was going to check the Tooth Palace, what was taking him so long? Maybe Pitch was still there, maybe he's attacking Jack! Baby Tooth had a mental panic attack, darting around in swift circles and suddenly stopped, finally making her choice, she was going out to find Jack and Tooth, and maybe get Sandy to shower dream sand on the troubled child. She flew beside Jamie and whispered a good night in her own language. The boy was in deep sleep, he didn't even stir at the sound of her chirps. With that Baby Tooth flew out, going as fast as her wings could take her.

* * *

Her stopped fluttering without her control. Tooth grabbed the window sill in time before gravity got the chance to pull her down. Using her hands, she hoisted herself inside the North Pole, nearly toppling over from standing full weight on her tiny feet. Then she reined her panic, walking in brisk pace in attempt to find North and Bunny in the big bustling pole. "North! North!" she called, trying to balance herself as she ran. She wasn't used to standing on her feet, she always relied on her wings and now she kept stumbling forward as she ran. She rushed to the globe room, throwing open the heavy doors and came face to face with Sandy. The two guardians seemed shock to see each other as they both reared back a few feet. Tooth noticed the black patch slowly growing on Sandy's arm she gasped, her hand landing on her mouth, "oh no Sandy…"

Sandy waved a dismissive hand, citing that it was okay, then he pointed at her wings, equally as shocked as Tooth. Pitch got them all, well almost. The sandman glanced worriedly at the figure of North still pacing around in circles this time staring intently at the blocked out moon, trying to communicate with it. By his feet was little Bunnymund trying to reassure him that Jack was probably running late as always.

"No, he can't be this late, I've been waiting for 30 minutes, he's never this late" North took another step, driving the tip of his sword through the carpet.

"I'm sure there's another explanation mate," Bunny pushed on. "Hey, he was going to see Jamie right? Maybe he's too busy playin' with the kid to see the lights."

"No, children are supposed to be asleep at this time, especially the ones who get nightmares," North retorted. "I cannot relax like this!"

Warily, Tooth approached them with small steps; Bunny was the first to spot her, on her feet walking toward them. Tooth was never on her feet, she was always in the air, darting around happily, in fact her feet never even touch the ground, the only time he saw her on her feet was when…_oh no. _"Tooth he got you too?" sadly she nodded leaving Bunny shocked, that leaves Jack, who knows what Pitch might do to their youngest guardian. North dropped one of his swords and began to panic. "That leaves Jack," he stomped out the door barking commands to the yetis to gather a search party for the winter spirit.

"North you have to calm down," Tooth said worriedly. "You shouldn't be moving around." North turned to the fairy, "How can I calm down and stay in one place, we are all powerless and who knows where Jack is." His mid boomed with possibilities, either Pitch might do what he did to them or he just might have something special for the winter spirit, dear MiM he might even kill him. North shook the thought away, Jack was too powerful for Pitch, one blast of ice and he'd be frozen solid. He just hope he was okay.

* * *

"Oh look the lights," Pitch's sneered making Jack clench his hands into tight fists. He wanted to grab Pitch's throat and strangle him until he freezes, he didn't even have to make contact to freeze to death, all he had to do was wave him hand, if only Pitch would stop throwing threats at him. "Let's see what the guardians might have to say." The nightmare king added, petting his black horse, he cocked his head to peer at the winter spirit and smirked. He was furious but Pitch could feel the fear he tried to bury deep down inside him. As he stared, Jack's glare intensified. He could defeat Pitch just by throwing an icicle at him, he could freeze the nightmare horses easily, if only there wasn't a ring of black sand around his neck. Maybe he could stab him with an icicle before he has the chance to do anything? No, he wasn't taking any risks, he wasn't the type to kill either no matter how annoying the dark being may be. A part of him knew Pitch was lying but a part of him believed he wasn't. There really is black sand injected in the guardians, their loosing their powers, but he just didn't know if it would kill them. He didn't know what the collar around his neck will do; perhaps it was going to strangle him every time he disobeys. Slowly he reached for it, attempting to freeze it and break it off.

"Don't even think about it," Pitch spat, he was right, the ring of black sand tightened around his neck, causing him to choke. The winter spirit clawed it angrily only causing it to tighten even more. His hands fell limply to his sides and that was the only time the collar loosened. He collapsed on his knees gasping for air.

Pitch stared at him without pity, "You are going to do as I say, if you don't you'll suffocate, if you try to freeze it off it will tighten more," he paused at crouched down to his eye level, "and if you try anything funny the guardians will die." He gave him a smile and stood back in full height, kicking Jack harshly in the ribs, "Get up!"

Jack staggered to his feet, using his staff for support.

"Good, you have learned discipline." Pitch scoffed, "oh and Jack you don't have to hide your fear, I can feel it, trapped inside you just waiting to be released." The teen's grip around his staff tightened, his knuckles grew paler.

"And don't look so tough," Pitch continued, "I know deep down inside you are scared, like that little runt you wish to protect, what was his name? Jamie?"

"You leave him out of this," Jack said trough gritted teeth, raising his staff, aligning it to his chest. The nightmares behind him neighed, coming forward in defense for Pitch. Instantly he lowered his staff, remembering what that thing around his neck can do.

Pitch turned away, "Come on." He thrust his hand forward with an angry jerk, all the nightmare horses followed, the ones falling behind Jack, giving him a forceful nudge. Jack pulled his hoodie over his head and summoned the wind that hesitantly lifted him into the air after Pitch. He didn't know if he could take whatever was going to happen.

Tears stung his eyes as he wondered if he will ever be able to escape this situation.

* * *

Yetis rush in and out of the pole in groups, searching for the missing winter spirit. North finally sat still in the globe room but found it hard to relax. He stood constantly, taking a glance at the globe of belief and sitting back down on his chair set in front of the fire place. Tooth kept opening the window, checking for the distant silhouette of Jack Frost. They were all worrying, Jack wasn't ever this late. The lights were still stretched across the sky, clearly visible in the sky of Burgess, it was impossible to miss. The yetis came back empty handed, North made them search all over the world, he even made them scan the entire town of Burgess but still he was no where to be seen. "We should go look for him," North decided.

"With us like this, I don't think it's a very good idea." Bunny said absently thumping his foot.

Sandy agreed conjuring sand images above his head. But both Tooth and North protested.

"But what if Pitch did get him?"

"What if he can't fly?"

"We may never find him again!"

They just kept throwing possibilities until Bunnymund slowly backed away, "Woah mates."

A cold force of wind escaped the windows, putting out the fire of the furnace. North stood up instantly, unsheathing one of his swords while the other was used as support for him to stand. Sandy extended his dream sand whips forming a question mark above his head.

"What the bloody heck is going on?" Bunny who was stripped with all weapons and is a tiny defenseless rabbit slightly hid behind North's leg.

"It might be an attack," North spun around as he heard a screech from a distance.

Even Tooth prepared to attack, with the slightest hope that Jack will bust in the door to come and help them. Instead, nightmares slowly formed at the center of the room, revealing Pitch Black at the very center with his usual smirk, seeing the guardians fall.

"What do you want?" Demanded North raising his sword.

"Just enjoying the show, that is all," Pitch gibed scratching the his black horse by on the head, "by the way, you all look awful."

Bunny was beginning to lose his temper, planning to lung at Pitch and claw out his eye balls.

"Where is Jack?" North growled.

"I believe he's right here," Pitch stepped aside exposing motionless Jack who gripping his staff tight. Cold mist encircled the, "You see he has switched sides." He announced.

Jack kept his eyes fixed on the ground, refusing to look at them, if he did, the better chance he'll spill out the truth and have them all killed.

"No," North declined pointing his swords at Pitch. "You're lying."

"See for yourself," Pitch taunted. "Jack Frost is standing right here."

Jack still stared at the ground and bit his lip, feeling the truth might just escape him any minute. He hated how weak he felt; he just wished he could send out distress signals above his head without Pitch's notice like Sandy. He could feel North's gaze hot on him, it made his insides burn.

"This is some kind of trick isn't it?" Bunny concluded. "You're trying to manipulate is isn't that right? Well it's not gonna work this time!"

"Fool!" Pitch scoffed grabbing Jack by the arm and pulling him forward. "What sort of trickery is this? He is right in front of you!"

Jack tried his best not to grunt in response, he kept his gaze of the floor.

"Jack," Tooth called out. "Jack is that you?"

"Yes it is," Jack found his voice again, his heart got caught in his throat. Tooth was dazed, it was Jack, it was his voice, Pitch was right.

The nightmare king grinned at the sight of the pathetic guardians already looking defeated when the battle hasn't even begun.

"Come on," he summoned his fearlings and started to leave.

A loud roar rung, North charged for Pitch, raising his swords preparing to take the nightmare king's head off. Despite his how weak he felt, the range took over him, giving him a new supply of energy, but what came to his shock was the blast of ice that missed him by a few feet. Then the whole place was covered in blinding cold mist.

It wasn't Pitch who stopped him, it wasn't his nightmares, but it was Jack. It broke his heart as he watched the figures disappear out the window, leaving them all dazed.

* * *

Pitch brought the winter spirit to his lair and practically tossed him in a cellar where four windowless metal walls stand. "They'll never believe you." Jack said weakly.

"Oh they already do," Pitch Black slammed the metal door shut, leaving the winter spirit feeling like a caged bird-a caged bird with a collar around his neck. He bellowed, blasting a powerful beam of ice at the wall and collapsed on the floor, leaning against the corner. He believed in the guardians, he knew they would suspect something was wrong, but he thought back on what Pitch said, now he wasn't sure anymore. Loosing hope, he brought his knees up to his chest and buried his face in his arms, finally letting the tears fall.

Suddenly a strange yet familiar voice called his name. "Jack"

* * *

**Craaaap I was planning to finish this by the ed of April but clearly that is impossible Q_Q no matter, I don't wanna rush things.**

**A reply to the guest whose name is Gabsters: That is a very good idea and I feel so happy that you want me to use it. But this story is already plotted up till the end and I think I won't be able to use it here, but I will use it in my future story that's gonna be called 'A Touch of Frost' and you just gave me a whole new idea with your review, so thanks so much for your idea.**

**And thank you guys for your reviews, keep it up :D**


	8. Challenging Darkness

"_Jack,"_ the voice was sweet and gentle, almost musical, yet it sounded so strange but familiar. Jack lifted his head and scanned the four walls.

"_Don't be afraid my child, all is well."_ The voice sounded again, proving it was not a hallucination. Jack stood, raising his staff in defenses. "Who's there?" He demanded.

"_You don't recognize me anymore?"_

Jack struggled, he heard this voice before, he just couldn't remember when.

"_Jack" _the voice said again. His blue eyes widened, he heard that voice a long long time ago, when he was risen out of the pond. "Man in the Moon?"

There was a long moment of silence that made Jack worry it wasn't, but the strange voice spoke again, "Yes my dear boy, it is."

Jack gasped; he was talking to the man in the moon who left him in 300 years of solitude, the one who didn't even bother to answer his questions, and the one who chose him as a guardian. There were a billion questions forming in his mind but it all summed up into one phrase, "Where were you?" The moon did not respond to the question, it only made Jack even more frustrated. "You left me for years, I asked you a ton of questions and yet to never answer then, it's like I'm asking a brick wall for comfort and now you suddenly show up out of no where and tell me all is well?"

"_Jack my child." _ Man in the moon tried to silence him.

The immortal teen was pacing around the small space of the cellar, fresh new tears rolling down the sides of his face. "I asked you for answers and you left me confused and lost. You should have lighted my path and guided me where to go!" He raised his voice, his tears intensifying, "Now that the others are in danger you show up and tell me that everything's gonna be okay?" he collapsed back onto the corner and clutched his forehead, trying to stop the tears that kept falling.

"_Jack…"_ He was so made at the moon but his voice was nothing but comfort. He held his staff in between his arms until his tears allayed.

"_Jack, I only come in desperate times."_

"Yeah well thanks a lot for being here." His sarcasm never left him even in the most sorrowful days. He leaned his head on the cold wall, "What are you doing here anyway?"

"_I come to help you."_

"Yeah how, it's not like you can take this collar off me." He muttered, slightly pounding his head against the wall. "Pitch will kill them if he finds out I disobeyed."

"_Don't believe in what that dark being says, true the black sand will poison them, but he has no control on when it will."_

"So he was lying when he said all he had to do was snap his finger, but what if it just happens all of a sudden?" he speculated.

"_It will not, you still have plenty of time." _

"But how will I get the black sand out of them?" Jack forgot how to breathe as he waited for the moon's reply, he worried the black sand would never be removed or man in the moon didn't have the answer to his question, again. But to his relief, man in the moon retorted in a calm way, "You can, but you have to destroy the dark beings."  
"Destroy? What do you mean destroy?" Jack blurted in bewilderment.

"_If Pitch is destroyed, the sand goes with him." _The moon spoke slowly. _"What I mean by destroy my dear boy, you must eliminate the darkness."_

"We destroyed him the last time but you can clearly see he's back," the winter spirit stood again, pacing around with his staff slung over his shoulder.

"_You defeated him, but you did not destroy him. Pitch Black was destroyed by the guardians during the dark ages which is why it took time for his recovery."_

"So destroy is…"

"_Turning him back to black sand and sealing him where he belongs." _The moon finished for him. _"There won't be any sight of him afterwards."_

"I can do this!" Jack hollered. "I'm stronger than he is, I could easily defeat him."

_No Jack you have to think this through," _The moon warned. _"You're charging directly towards danger."_

"The sooner I get fix this the sooner I can take this weight off my shoulders." The winter spirit persisted stubbornly. "You said it yourself Pitch has no control over the black sand inside them."

"_But he does have control over you," _The moon argued._ "Jack, you have to think this through, let the guardians fight along side you."_

"They can't" he persisted, "I'm the only one Pitch hasn't laid hands on, I can do it." He paused grabbing hold of the strip of black sand and tried to freeze it off. Instead, the ice and dark created a spark, the black sand did not freeze over but it temporarily tightened, causing a cry of pain.

"_You see you have to think this through…be careful Jack." _The voice was gone, leaving nothing but the echo of nightmare screeches from outside his cellar.

"Think this through?" Jack growled the situation he was in was like being stuck in a pond of quicksand. "Man in the moon? Hello? Still there?" great, now he was alone again. He leaned on the wall, blue eyes filled with tears. _What was he going to do now?_

The door's lock clicked open, the sound of heavy metal being dragged across the ground resonated the small space. Pitch Black stood at the doorway, cat-like yellow eyes gleaming with amusement, "Time to pay your little friend a visit."

"I told you to leave him alone," the immortal teen snarled, pointing his staff at him.

"I never agreed to it, your mistake." Pitch moved in the cellar with slow steps, his hands held behind his back. "Now get up or suffer the consequence."

"I am not afraid of you Pitch, no matter what you do." Pitch still kept forging, treating Jack's wooden staff that was aimed directly at his chest like a child's toy. "You are my captive, you're gonna have to obey."

"Well you gonna have to try a lot harder than that," more frost gathered around his tightly gripped staff. The wind broke in the opened door and encircled him in a protective stance.

"I don't even have to try," those words were like venom, within seconds the ring of black sand tightened, receiving a yelp from his favorite guardian, oh how much he enjoyed hearing those screams. "You are my prisoner, and you have to obey," He took his captive by the chin, "Do you understand?"

Jack refused to answer; he squirmed away from his grasp, curling up in a ball hoping the position would make the pain subside.

"Do you understand!?" the dark being hissed, grabbing a handful of his hair, lugging his head up to face him.

"Y-s-yes I understand," Jack choked. With that Pitch threw him harshly on the ground and simply walked out the door, "stubborn imp."

Jack clutched his aching shoulder, forcing himself onto his feet and staggered out the door after Pitch. He was really going to destroy him once he gets his hands on him.

* * *

The moon had broken through the clouds; colossal silver blue lights filled half the sky. Nicholas sat by his desk angrily sculpting a wooden Russian figure of Jack's center just like what he did before. He simply refused to believe anything he heard, especially when it came from Pitch Black. He wanted nothing more but to take his head off and penetrate it with a stick. The others were in the other room thinking of a decent explanation of Jack's behavior which only angered North since that would mean they were doubting Jack. He gave up on carving a wooden baby and threw what looked more like a crippled block of wood in the trash. Maybe he could carve a train out of ice or maybe a figure of Jack so he could set it by his nightshade and stare at it all day. Or he could even shave his beard with his sword! Everything was driving him insane.

'Oi North, may I come in?" Bunny's accented voice called, followed by a knock on the door. "Yes, door is not locked."

"I can't reach the door knob…."

North grumbled, pulling himself to his feet. His back arched with pain, he ignored it trying not to wince as he scuffled to the door and threw it open. "What is it, I'm in the middle of something important."

"Yeah right like there's any other important stuff to deal with now." Bunny welcomed himself, crawling in North's work area, his fluffy tail swaying side to side, North just might crack up laughing at the sight of it.

"Look Bunny," the usual loud toymaker spoke lazily. "I just need some space, and I want to be alone what iz this about?"

"It's about Jack mate," Bunny stopped his pace and sat in the middle of the room facing North. "Pitch might be manipulating him."

"I don't believe him, Jack will never join him no matter what he does or tells him." The old Cossack stated firmly.

"You'll never know North, Pitch could sound tempting sometimes." Bunny stood and crawled towards the door way. "We're all worried about him North."

The older guardian huffed, "We should make a move."

"What?" astounded Bunny's mouth hung open. "Are ya nuts? We can't fight Pitch like….this" he gestured at himself. "Look at me I'm too tiny to even kicks anything!"

"But what if Pitch fills the world with darkness, what then?" he inched closer. "It will be too late if we sit around waiting."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Bunnymund challenged. "The right question is what can we do? Your obviously not in condition to fight, I'm too small to even defend myself, Tooth is flightless and Sandy's runin' out of time. Look North, just focus on yer Christmas preparations." Bunny trudged out the door, his paws thumping on the wooden boards.

* * *

Jack has learned all he needed to know and discovered there were multiple entrances that lead to Pitch's lair, the main door being in Venice, Italy and the entrance near his lake had disappeared the time he was attacked by his own creations. He was lagging behind Pitch and his minions, struggling to think of a plan before they get to Jamie's home. He could always attack Pitch when his back was turned, maybe the guardians would be able to spot the aerial assault and they would come and fight along side him, but he'll just put the guardians in danger, their in no condition to fight. He couldn't attack Pitch when he's at Jamie's either, he'll just put the child in danger. He could offer Pitch a handshake and freeze his hands off, which sounds ridiculous, Jack felt like slapping himself for it. He really needed to think this through, just like what the moon said.

They suddenly came to a stop, they reached their destination. It made Jack's stomach twist. The nightmares turned back into sand and fell limply to the floor, Pitch disappeared into the shadows, "meet you inside." He said finally his teeth were out of sight until there was nothing but a brick wall with a dark shadow clinging to it. Jack warily stepped inside from the window sill. He watched the calm rise and fall of his chest, indicating he was enjoying a nice dreamless sleep. It tempted Jack, he wanted to scoop the boy in his arms and fly off to a safe distance, but Pitch was watching him, he can't outrun an army of fearlings, even with the wind by his side, the dark horses were scattered everywhere, who knows what they'll do to Jamie when they catch up to him. The best option was to obey, Jack stood beside his bed, his hands balled into tight fists inside the pouch of his hoodie.

The child suddenly began to squirm sound the blanket that was tightly wrapped around his tiny frame, tears began falling, soaking his pillow. Jack wanted nothing more than to pick him up and cradle him. The words got caught in his throat, he tried to say his name wake him up and pull him out of the horrible nightmare he was trapped in, he reached out with a shaking hand but withdrew, he could feel Pitch's presence behind him. Jamie awoke on his own, sitting up, pulling his knees to his chest and clutched the blanket tightly, then he saw Jack, standing by his nightshade. "Jack!" he bent over to hug him. The teen took a step back, his expression stern with displeasure. Jamie raised his brow, eyes filling with confusion, "Jack?"

The sound of menacing laughter echoed. Pitch Black stepped out of the shadows, his lips curling into a smirk as he approached. Jamie curled deeper into his blankets trying to find comfort, "Jack? What's going on?" he asked, voice trembling, glassy brown eyes filling with tears.

"I 'll tell you what's going on," Pitch pushed Jack aside. "You see your friend here is no longer a guardian."

"W-what do you mean?" The tears fell from the corners of his eyes, racking his entire form.

"He is with me, now you have to fear him!" Pitch hissed, causing the child to whimper, holding his blanket even tighter. Jack wanted to grab him from behind and strangle him.

"No!" Jamie tossed the blanket away, it was about time he stopped acting like a child and helped the guardians for once. "You're lying."

"Oh really," Pitch moved aside. "Why don't you ask him yourself?"

The collar tightened, darn he hated that thing so much, "Stay out of this Jamie." He tried not to choke his words. "I am not a guardian, I am not your protector, I am not your friend anymore." It was the best he could think of, heck he wasn't even thinking anymore, his heart felt like it was set on fire.

"Did you hear that Jamie?" Pitch drew closer again. Jamie temporarily forgot he was standing on his bed and took a step back. With a squeak, he fell flat on the hard wooden floor.

"Pitch!" Jack snapped his fist was shaking violently; his blue eyes were glowing with range. He clenched his staff tighter until his fist turned pure ivory, his own fingers dug in his skin.

"Very well," Pitch turned, gathering a swarm of nightmare sand behind him. "We're done here, Jack."

Jack turned and followed him out as well, not like he had a choice, until he was stopped by Jamie's voice calling his name. The child clambered over his bed and crawled over to him. _Oh, no no please don't follow._ Using his staff, he shot a line of ice in between them.

"I thought you said you'll always be there!" Jamie yelled desperately. "What happened to the promise? I thought you said you'll never let anything happen?"

Every word stung like daggers penetrating his heart. He glared at Jamie coldly and leapt out the window. He felt like going back and apologize, he really wanted to go back, if only the annoying horse didn't shove him. He messed with Him, he messed with the guardians, he messed with Jamie, he's crossed the line. Jack has decided, he was going to fight Pitch when they arrive in his lair.

Man in the moon's voice rang again, "Jack, please think things through."

"I did think things through," he said silently. "Long and hard, I can do this."

* * *

Pitch didn't say a word; he didn't even look at Jack or stuff him back in that tiny cellar. He just stood by the globe of belief, watching the lights shining as bright as the stars. He scowled, the children's belief was still strong, even if the guardians were too weak to even fight, he sent a group of black horses to spread nightmares and eliminate the lights, just exactly what Jack wanted. The fewer nightmares there are in the lair, the bigger advantage he has. He sat on the corner, waiting patiently for the last horse to exit. Pitch would wield more out of his nightmare sand if he attacked, Jack readied himself ignoring the lessons Sandy taught him on how to control himself. He needed all the power he can give. His eyes glowed bright blue, more frost collected around his hoodie, ice coated his wooden staff. "You've crossed the line Pitch," he said, Pitch was about to turn around and tighten the collar but a blast of ice nearly struck him. He fought back with his nightmare sand, but the ice was stronger than him, he found himself being pushed back with every blow, he was being over powered. But then he decided to use his strongest weapon, with one jerk of a hand, the collar secured, however Jack still kept fighting, ignoring the pain in his throat. It slowed down his movements until Pitch got a hold of his neck and pinned him on the wall. Jack's breaths quickly turned into sharp gasps, he clawed the grey fingers in a feeble attempt to pry Pitch's hand off.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" Pitch shouted, causing the winter spirit too flinch. "You are my prisoner, and you shall obey!" he released his grip, dropping him onto the floor with a kick in the ribs. Jack ignored the pain; he took deep breaths, sucking in as much air as he could. This wasn't going the way he planned it. He slammed his palms on the ground, paving it with slippery ice. Something got a hold of his ankle, bashing him against the wall. The sharp rock pierced his shoulder causing a loud cry of pain, landing harshly back on the ground, his breaths were loud and rustled through his gritted teeth, he has never been so angry before. He staggered to his feet, "Look Pitch if this is between you and me please keep the others out of this."

Pitch gave him another kick, "This is between you and me, I just love to get everyone else involved." With a satisfied grin the nightmare king sculpted a spear out of his nightmare sand that solidified in his hand. "But I'll make sure you suffer the most." He grabbed Jack by the scruff of his hoodie, ignoring his pathetic pleas about leaving the others alone. "This is what you get for rejecting my invitation in the first place." He stomped a foot on his leg, continuing to apply pressure to it until he heard a loud crack. "So, now do you realize you made a big mistake? Do you regret what you did?"

"I never regret anything I do," Jack said through tears, his whole body ached; he could make a single move anymore.

Pitch grimaced, "I will destroy that cocky confidence of yours, when I am done with you I bet you won't be able to pick up your staff ever again." With that he forced the spear into Jack's abdomen earning another loud bellow followed by the flowing of tears. "I'll make you suffer."

Another loud cry unleashed a blinding beam of ice, stalling enough time for the wind to carry Jack away from the horrible underground palace.

When the light faded, Pitch was alone at the center of his lair, he was infuriated.

* * *

**A reply to the guest **

**IxB: Thanks for your review, and I'm sorry but I can't update more often cause of school, sorry if I ever make you wait too long, but if I do update everyday the chapters will be really short and I'm afraid it wouldn't make sense either. I update every Sundays though, maybe Saturdays if I have time, so expect new chapters on weekends ;) and thanks again for your reviews.**

**And to all those loyal reviewers I appreciate thanks for your reviews as well, keep them up, I love to hear what you think :D**


	9. Sign of the Moon

**I feel horrible Q_Q Poor Jack….but it will all be over soon enough, since I can't stand writing about Jack getting hurt anymore.**

**Please ignore the mistakes here, or you could point them out if their unbearable.**

* * *

Tooth sat by the fireplace, her wings hang on her back, dull and lifeless, unable to flutter no matter how much force is applied. She held Jack's memory box that was recovered from his room close to her chest, hoping he would come to his senses and return to them. She never fully believed Pitch, even if it was pretty convincing, she knew Jack, he wouldn't switch sides in fear of getting hurt, he was actually selfless enough to throw himself directly at danger. He _cared _about them, she knew that, deep down inside she knew Jack cares for all of them even if they yell at him or turn him away, the feeling of care would never disappear. Pitch probably used something against him, or tempted him, just like before. She wasn't gonna jump to conclusions right away without an explanation. Jack is not the type of guardian who would surrender so easily, but it just hurt seeing him in Pitch's heart, it really hurt so badly she just wished it was all a nightmare.

Sandy sat across Tooth, constantly giving her worried glances. The black spot on his arm already sprouted up to his shoulder, it's only a matter of time before he disappears into black sand again and wow, the black sand felt seething on his arm, he found himself wincing every time he tried to move it. He hasn't completely lost faith in Jack. He believed there was an explanation for everything, including the situation the sprite was stuck in. Everyone loved him, heck even the Pooka that held a grudge on him grown to love him. It just did not make sense; it really did not make sense, what was Jack's purpose? Maybe he's planning to back stab the nightmare king by pretending to join him or did Pitch recruit him to use his powers and make children fear him. He's been pondering about it for two days; it seems like a logical explanation.

Bunny paced back and forth behind them, standing as leader since North has locked himself in the globe room, hanging a threatening sign that said 'stay out'

His tall ears limp on his head as he tried to muster up a plan. After all, they aren't supposed to sit around and wait for Pitch's nest move, their supposed to work double effort to keep the children's belief going so the nightmares won't even get a chance. But first, the thought of Jack entered his mind again, making his head ache. North has been moping about it all day, it was almost Christmas, still he refuses to prepare for the 'children's favorite holiday' and sits around all day. Now that Jack was with Pitch, Jamie might be at stake. Why wouldn't the nightmare king target the last believer who was the cost of his failure? They had to do something about it _fast._

Turning around to face his fellow guardians, he cleared his throat and spoke up. "We have to do something about Jamie mates. Pitch and Jack might-"

"Jack is not with Pitch!" Tooth stopped him, raising her voice slightly as her hands squeezed the golden memory box tighter.

"Calm down Sheila, I know he is not." Bunny spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully and spoke again. "We don't know what that little bloke's doing, but he's definitely planning something stupid, we can help him."

"How!?" Tooth was frustrated more than a stressing day of work. "How will we help him, when we don't even know where he is or what Pitch is doing to him, he might be hurt! We need to find him!"

"But we have to get to Jamie first" Bunny stated, sounding equally as desperate as the tooth fairy. "The kid might break from all those nightmares, if he does who knows what will happen next."

"What about Jack?" she pushed on.

"Well find him," Bunny answered. "Right now we have problems, we need to get those yetis working, Christmas is the only chance we can increase our believers."

"North called them off, the yetis won't listen to us."

"Maybe they will," The Pooka was determined. "Tooth mate, why don't ya try to get them working again. Sandy you and I are going to Burgess, do you think you can still take me there?"

Sandy looked down at his arm and nodded. Bunny turned for Tooth's answer.

She nodded as well, "But what about North?"

"Nah, he doesn't want anyone bothering him." the rabbit shot a glance at the two locked doors that lead to the globe room. "It's best to leave him alone mate."

The fairy got to her feet, skittering down the stairs to the yetis' work area.

Sandy is still able to craft an airplane out of sand and motioned Bunny aboard. They took off, flying out the window breaking the rules of sticking together. Pitch wouldn't strike more than once right?

Tooth found the yetis, lounging leisurely on the couch by the fireplace along with the elves, gathered around a plate, each nipping on a cookie.

She crossed her arms, like she always did whenever she caught her fairies slacking. Thinking about that made her worried sick, what happened to her fleet of fairies. She shook her head, this was important; right now she had to figure out how North gets those yetis working.

She stepped in front of them, trying to look as tough as North. "Get back to work, Christmas is coming so none of you should be slacking."

In response, Phil grumbled grouchily, his arms and closed his eyes to take a nap. None of the yetis moved.

Tooth proceeded to the elves, hoping they would comply to her requests. She crouched in front of them. "Hey" she spoke softly, "You should be getting back to work now, we don't want to be late for Christmas."

The elves simply ignored her like she was invisible and continued stuffing themselves with cookies.

Tooth huffed in annoyance and took a deep breath before…..

"Get off those couches, stop eating those cookies and get back to work before I tear you apart!" She shrieked.

The yetis and elves scrambled to the factory, leaving Tooth with a satisfied smile on her face.

* * *

Bunny and Sandy tried to provide as much comfort for the crying child. Upon their arrival, they found Jamie curled up on the floor by his bedside, silently crying to himself. Hints of frost scattered the ground, a sign that it wasn't the nightmares upsetting the child, it was Jack.

Perhaps tickling Bunny under the chin would make him feel better, but Jamie battled his resistance to pick up little bunny and poke his fluffy belly. He was too upset to do anything anyway, he just wanted the old Jack back, the one that he could play with on a winter's day, the one that told him exciting stories of pranks he pulled every night, the winter spirit that used to be the best big brother ever.

"What's wrong with Jack?" he asked, his voice trembling from the endless tears that kept falling.

Bunny and Sandy exchanged unsure glances, none of them knew what exactly was going on, neither of them knew how to explain it to the poor child either.

Bunny twitched his whiskers, "listen, it's not really safe tryin' ta look fer Jack little mate."

"Why?" Jamie snapped, looking at them both with his enormous pleading eyes filled with tears.

"Now's not the best time alright." The small pooka said earnestly.

"But why is he with Pitch, it's like he doesn't know me at all!" more tears fell from his chocolate brown eyes. Bunny placed a paw on his arm while Sandy reached and patted his head. "Hey, you see us little mate, I'm tiny and Sandy's beginning to disappear with the black sand, North feels old again and Tooth is flightless, children haven't even stopped believin' in us yet, so whateva that ratbag Pitch did to us he must've done to Jack too, he mind be under some kind of manipulation for him ta turn on us."

Jamie still found it hard to believe, he stared at the guardians with confusion, wiping away the tears with his sleeve. "What did the Boogyman do to you guys?"

Sandy shrugged.

"We're not sure of that mate, but what we're tellin' ya is don't go to Jack when ya see him." the grey hare ordered.

"But" Jamie was about to protest, tears began to well his eyes again. "What can I do to help."

"Believe in us, no matter what happens, we'll be able to fix this." _I hope _he almost said. "Now go to sleep, you'll be dreamin' in no time."

"But what about Jack?"

"We'll get him back," Bunny reassured.

Sandy lightly patted the boy on the head, putting the child to sleep. He gently lifted him off the floor and tucked him back in his bed, wishing him sweet dreams and crafter another small plane out of golden dust.

Bunny took one last glance at the sleeping child and hopped in the air craft with Sandy.

* * *

Jack floundered trough the forest, clutching his stomach desperately trying to stop the blood from pouring. He stumbled, every step he took, adding more pressure to his leg until it tuned into a mass of bleeding flesh. He waded through the thick pile of fallen branches; the sharp edges of the twigs grated the bottom of his feet to the point blood followed behind him in a trail. He still kept running, breathing heavily. His body felt hot that he found himself sweating, which was most unlikely to happen to him. His vision failed him; soon he was unable to make out his surroundings. The blood on his abdomen wouldn't stop pouring, even under the pressure of his hand; he never felt so much pain in his entire life. The wound on his shoulder began to burn as well, distracting him from all concentration. He soon forgot what he was trying to do. His mind was whirling as everything started spinning all around him and yet he still charged blindly towards the dark forest. He felt his heart beats getting slower and slower; he thought he was going to die.

He collapsed on a patch of bushes, his hand gripping his hoodie tight, pressing down on his wound.

He was going to die, he was going to die. The voice inside his head kept repeating over and over. He was scared to death, maybe he _was _going to die, he couldn't pull himself out of danger anymore, he was too weak and helpless. Jack slumped, burying himself deeper into the patch of bushes, inhaling the scent of green grass but caused more pain to his stomach. Maybe he should lay back and just let death do the rest. Slowly his dull blue eyes screwed shut as he remembered the time he was drowning in the lake.

_Wait…he couldn't die yet…The guardians!_ His eyes shot open once again, fighting the feeling of falling asleep. He finally realized his plan did not work, he remembered Pitch's annoying words of killing the guardians, the black sand inside of them. He had to live! If he died the guardians die to, then the world will be taken over by fear.

He suddenly remembered the conversation with Man in the Moon, Pitch is bluffing about killing the guardians with one snap of a finger, but the black sand would work it's way in poisoning them on it's own. He was clearly running of time, he began to struggle for consciousness.

_Wait…_Man in the Moon, where was he now? He said he only comes in desperate situations, well wasn't this desperate enough? He was trying to live for crying out loud!

Maybe the moon was just a useless celestial body after all. It left him for so many years, now it was leaving him to die. He could see it high above the sky, shining brightly like the stars but that wasn't making him feel any better at all. Hanging in the sky wasn't the moon's job; it was supposed to help him!

Maybe Manny would let him die and give him a second chance again, resurrecting him as Jack Frost again, then he would probably forget about everything that happened again, then he would try to gain believers which will take another 300 years for one child to see him again, the guardians are probably dead by that time. What a nice birthday present.

That leaves him no choice. White began to cloud his vision, before blackness took over and everything just faded into darkness.

But there came a voice. "Jack, Jack!"

_Man in the moon_

* * *

North still sat in the globe room moping. He had a terrible feeling about Jack deep down in his belly. He was doing something stupid enough that could get himself hurt, and worst of all he couldn't do anything to help him. He was so close to pulling out patches of his hair in frustration, wishing he planted a tacking device on Jack.

"_If you help us, we will give you your memories" _he remembered their compromise back at the Tooth Palace. He just realized Jack came back with his memories during the Easter disaster, he could have simply got out of the way, he got his memories but he came back to help them, and they turned him away like refuge. It was horrible, North vowed to never jump to conclusions ever again, just like what he was doing right now. Albeit moping around wouldn't do any good. He had to look for Jack, he was worried sick about him, he just didn't know where to start.

The moon aligned itself to the open slate on the ceiling. Moon beams shot down in flickering lights in urgency to catch North's attention.

North finally noticed the moon beams, he drew closer to where they were shining, then it suddenly disappeared.

The moon itself shined down on the G mural on the floor, forming a picture of Jack. North gasped, "Jack? Where is he? What's wrong with him?"

The speck of light moved to the globe, reflecting the state of America, specifically Burgess.

Of course he was in Burgess, _why didn't he think of that?_

It was urgent, why would man in the moon signal him if it wasn't an emergency. He grabbed his coat and shrugged it on, returning his swords to the scabbard and grabbing a snow globe, surpassing their agreement of staying together (He isn't aware Bunny and Sandy left) He whispered Burgess to his snow globe and shook it before throwing it right in front of the globe, a portal encompassed him, and before he knew it, he was standing in Burgess forest, right in front of Jack, or was it Jack.

His blue irises dilated, was that Jack? He looked horrible, slumped on a tree, clutching his stomach. He squinted to take a better look, there was blood underneath his hand and his leg didn't look any better either, it was twisted in an odd angle, clearly broken. _Oh Pitch was really gonna pay once he gets his hands on him._

Slowly, he went as quiet as he could manage, but his big feet failed him, stepping on a branch causing the winter spirit to jump awake.

Grabbing his staff, he tried to ignore his protesting muscles. He whipped around and saw North but he didn't know if he should be relieved or scared. North was probably mad about his betrayal (or at least what they thought was betrayal) his natural instincts told him to flee. He jumped to his feet, adding pressure on his broken leg that caused him to fall right onto his burning shoulder. He let out a heart wrenching cry, tears slipping from his tightly shut eyes.

North drew closer, dropping his swords onto the grass and using the trees to help him move forward, it only made Jack backpedal until he was backed up against the trunk of the tree, breaths hitched.

"It's okay, I mean no harm, I am here to help." North whispered, finally getting the frightened winter spirit to calm down.

"No…Mm Pitch! He's…he's…" He spluttered, trying to make the words come out. "Black...sand…y-you"

"Shhh" North finally got close enough to pick him up. One arm slid behind his back, the other under his leg, easily able to lift him.

Jack huddled close to his coat, everything turning blank nothingness as they entered trough a portal, the last thing he saw was the North Pole, then he passed out.

* * *

**My mind is coming up with all sorts of chaptered stories; I don't think I'll ever finish them Q_Q **

**But I think I'll be able to finish this one soon, the entire plot is ready, probably 5 or more chapter until it's the end.**

**So what do you think about this chapter? Was it stupid? lol**


	10. To Piece Together

**Here it is, chapter 10 :D I cannot believe it's chapter ten already :O **

**There is something I would like to clarify here, North has been trained in magic according to the books, so if you haven't read the book series yet I'm being a spoiler cause North's gonna cast a few spells in this chapter.**

**As usual, enjoy reading!**

* * *

Jack battled his will of falling unconscious. He whimpered as he clutched his wound that was now oozing with blood tighter. Man in the Moon was right; he should have thought things through slowly before he did anything, now he was stuck in an even deeper situation than before. _So what's next?_ From the way he was feeling right now, it was easy to tell he didn't have a next. If he was dying then that would mean no one will be there to fight Pitch and the black sand would just spread and kill the guardians.

He stared at the starless sky with the moon sitting high up watching over the world. A single tear slipped from the corner of his eye, maybe he was better off alone, if he never became a guardian none of this would be happening. Pitch was right; he made a mess of literally everything. More tears spilled from his sapphire orbs, he tried his best to keep his eyes open, he was afraid if he closed his eyes, he would never wake up again. Blood soaked the heap of grass he was laid on. Jack remained unmoving, listening to his own heartbeats. So this was part of Pitch's plans all along, they were gonna die so he can have his own world of darkness. Jack's breaths suddenly grew hitched, he was still alive, he could still stop him and save everyone, he had to live, he had to live! His throat space suddenly narrowed, he began hyperventilating, adding more pain to his aching ribs. His heartbeats grew slower yet it sounded louder, like a sign telling him his time was up. So this was it…

Until he heard the crack of a branch and the sound of heavy footsteps drawing closer, it made is adrenaline pump, his eyes snapped open by themselves and he soon found the strength to stand up. He saw North across the field, approaching him slow and carefully. He didn't know if he should be relieved or frightened to death, North either came to help him or shred him to pieces for betraying them. His blood ran cold when he heard the sound of swords being drawn, yep, North definitely came to kill him. He tried to stand and run, temporarily forgetting about the injury on his leg. He stumbled and fell on his aching shoulder, causing a sharp cry of pain. He opened his eyes, looking at North through his bangs in a pained expression and saw the old Cossack drop his swords to avoid frightening him, well it was too late now, he was terrified. "It's okay Jack, don't be afraid," North said raising his hands. It was hard for him to walk without the support of his swords but he pushed himself forward with the remaining energy he had in him. With every step he took, Jack back pedaled until he was backed up against a tree with no where to run. North kept whispering his words of comfort until he finally calmed down. Jack felt his body gently being lifted into the strong man's arms it was the only source of comfort he had. For the first time in days he felt safe. His mind felt like melted ice cream that refused to function, his heart pounded against his ribcage as he absentmindedly began to squirm in North's protective grasp, garbling incoherent nonsense, trying to warm him about Pitch. "N…no…p-pitch is…is" the words didn't want to come out; North shushed bringing the injured winter sprite close to his chest. He dug out the snow globe inside the pocket of his coat, careful not to bother Jack's wounds, "To the pole." He whispered and tossed the globe against the ground forming a portal.

The hellion's eyes flutter open and roll shut repeatedly until darkness took over, the last thing he saw was the entrance of the North pole, his home and the familiar sweet welcoming scent of peppermint filled his lungs with mirth. He was back at home, with his family, his head filled with joy and laughter, along with a vivid image of the guardians and himself sitting by the fireplace, sharing a toast with a cup of hot chocolate. He suddenly forgot everything that was happening.

* * *

Pitch was infuriated; his plans were beginning to fall apart. He scrabbled around his lair, his hands held behind his back casually. The nightmare stallions lurked deep in the shadows following their master around the small space. The nightmare king let out a bellow of frustration waving his hand forward with an angry thrust causing the nightmare horses to dissolve into sand that fell limply to the floor. Jack Frost has escaped him and he couldn't do anything about it! The chain around his neck wasn't a tracking device it just served as a weapon against the annoying imp and it couldn't tighten unless he was around. In this situation, the collar was useless. He had high doubts that Jack was dead, immortals don't die so easily, but he will if nobody finds him in time and he'll make sure no one else finds him before he does. As much as he wanted to see the winter spirit dead on a silver platter, he won't let him die just yet. Dying was way too easy, he wanted Jack to suffer, he wanted torment and ail until the child completely breaks, that is what he gets for ruining his well planned revenge. He toyed with the black sand, forming a small ring that swirled around his index finger. He stared at the golden lights that dotted his globe; some slowly flickered until the light died. "Looks like my plan is working after all" with the guardians at their weakest point and the nightmares he has been spreading, the children have began to think the guardians weren't there to protect them anymore, causing their belief to die. Soon all of the lights will disappear and he'll be more than glad to extinguish the final light himself. His gaze landed on the familiar light that sat in the middle of the small town Burgess which was the cause of his defeat but he drove his attention away from the globe, he had more important things to attend to, he had to finish what he started. The dark being lifted his arms, bringing the limp sand back to life. The grains spiraled around his fingertips and scattered into their individual forms. An army of spectral bodiless creatures stood before him, their eyes dimmed and hollow with their gaunt expressionless faces. Now the battle has truly begun. "Get him back alive." He ordered then raised his hand, closing it into a fist and opened it again, revealing a crystal black orb. With one snap of his fingers the sphere switched to the view of the spider that still clung on the rafters of the pole, _those yetis were too stupid to notice_. It revealed a hazy image of the Tooth fairy standing at the center of the room with the yetis rushing around her. He tilted his head, "Hang on, where's North?"

* * *

Sandy and his little aircraft flew in the globe room from the open window. Bunnymund leapt off instantly, feeling nauseated from flying 50,000 feet high in a plane made of _**sand. **_His eyes skimmed the corners of the room. "Where's North mate?"

Sandy's aircraft dissolved, along with his pilot goggles. He floated beside Bunny and gave him a shrug, conjuring a question mark above his head.

"Crikey go look for him!" The small Pooka hopped around, the North Pole might be under attack and they don't even know a thing about it. "You check the other rooms; I'll go check down the factory."

Sandy nodded and prepared to bolt out the window when Bunny called him back again. He spun around with a question mark above his head.

"Can you open the door?" the rabbit implored sheepishly. Sandy tilted sideways and rolled in mid air, bursting with laughter, clutching his stomach.

Bunny crossed his tiny paws with a large frown on his face. "It's not funny."

Sandy raised a dismissive hand and created a sand whip that wrapped around the doorknob, lashing it open easily.

"Thanks mate," Sandy nodded and watched the tiny bunny crawl out the door. He giggled to himself and floated out the window.

Bunnymund ran as fast as his hind legs could take him, dodging the yetis who didn't notice him there and almost stepped on him. He found Toothiana standing at the center of the room glaring at the yetis who were slacking. "I told you to get back to work!" she said. Bunny crawled beside her foot. "Oi Tooth! Have you seen North?"

Tooth looked down, "Bunny, your back, how was Jamie?"

"He's just fine but we entered through the globe room and North wasn't there." Bunny sniffed for his tracks hoping Tooth was going to tell him North was in the kitchen or somewhere in the factory, instead, her feathers fluffed in worry. "I didn't see him leave the globe room, are you sure he wasn't there?"

Bunny's heat thumped in panic. "What? Then where could he be?" he sniffed the carpet for any fresh scents of North's boots. Bunny halted when two yetis ran past him to drag open the heavy doors. North lumbered inside, cradling the injured frost spirit in his arms. Tooth gasped, her eyes welling with tears. "Oh Jack," she ran to him, cupping her hands on his face that had a paler complexion than usual. Bunny's heart weighed, his jaw dropped and his ears were plastered to his skull, the best he could do was just stare. From the corner of his eye, he saw Sandy frozen on his spot above them, looming over the frost child with a pained expression. Bunnymund found his voice again, "Crikey what the bloody heck happened mate?" this has Pitch written all over it.

"I do not know what happened" North answered in his angered gruff voice, "But we have no time to lose" he marched down the hallways that led to Jack's room, barking commands at the yetis who passed by. The guardians follow close behind.

North set Jack down his bed, keeping a hand pressed against his wound to stop the bleeding. Tooth was beside him, lightly stroking his white locks. Bunny settled beside his limp arm and Sandy floated above them, showering the frost child with dream sand.

"Get Yaloo" North told Phil who wasted no time in sprinting out the door.

"He's a monster," Tooth mumbled squeezing Jack's hand.

"Oi mate, what happened? Where'd ya find him?" Bunny turned to North.

The old Cossack let his shoulders sag, grabbing hold of Jack's hand. "Man in the moon sent me a signal that led me to him in the forest of Burgess, I have no idea what happened, he was already hurt when I found him."

Bunny looked at the frost child. Whatever did happened, it looks like Jack tried to fight Pitch, but he could have sworn Jack was stronger than Pitch, why was he the one hurt? Unless Pitch was frozen solid somewhere

Sandy seemed to notice something; he floated over to Jack, tugging away the scruff of his hoodie, revealing a collar made out of black sand. They all gasped.

"So that's what's been controlin' him this whole time." Bunny's fur bristled in anger. "That stinkin' rat bag Pitch" no wonder Jack lost the fight.

"Can you take it off?" North asked Sandy who nodded and placed a hand on Jack's neck, transforming the black sand into dream sand that dissolved into the air.

Yaloo, the wisest yeti around finally came; he began to treat Jack's injuries with the help of the other yetis. They cleaned his wounds, set the bone of his broken leg and patched him up. Jack stayed asleep the whole time, sand dolphins swirling around his head.

The sound of shattering glass made all the guardians jump. North stood from where he was seated and swatted away the curtains. He saw a dozen of fearling men surrounding the North Pole; they were in no condition to fight right now. "Rimsky Korsakov! Keep them out!" the others got off their seats as well, rushing out the door and preparing for a fight. North lagged behind, remembering a book that contained a protection spell that was somewhere in his workshop. "Do not let them in, I know a spell that will help." He called across the hall and headed the opposite direction from where the others were heading.

Tooth, Bunny and Sandy just nodded to each other and rushed out the halls.

North was frantic, he threw open every single cabinet in search for the spell book, the remnants of blood on his hands smeared some of the items but it didn't matter now. He silently cursed for forgetting where he placed it in the first place. Finally he found the right book buried deep inside the cabinets. He swept away the cobwebs and flipped through the right page reciting the spell that was written.

A fortress of light enclosed the North pole like a dome. The fearling men dissolved when their bodies made contact. Keeping them out was a success, now the only thing left is to fight those that already got in.

North moved as fast as he could, scraping his sword on the floor boards. There was a fight coming ahead….


	11. Belief Against Fear

A guardian can sense when a child stops believing, same goes with the Tooth Fairies and for the past few hours there has been a ridiculously large amount. They decide carry on their duties without Tooth, they split into two groups, one to deliver coins and one to go to the North pole to find their queen, but they lost their power of flight before they got the chance to leave. They were all getting worried, for they can feel Tooth's anxiety, she was in trouble and they couldn't do anything about it. It was Baby Tooth who felt worse, she could feel Tooth's anxiety too, but she was also worried about Jamie, she couldn't return to him now, what if something bad happens? And shouldn't Jack be back by now?

* * *

Tooth took one of North's fallen swords and fought her way through the nightmares that were ranging everywhere, her face fierce as she held the heavy blade with both hands and cut through the figureless nightmares that came.

Tiny Bunnymund still felt helpless, not only did he shrink but his boomerangs and egg bombs have disappeared along with his size. He tried kicking the nightmare horses obviously to no avail.

Sandy eliminated most of the fearlings, using his sand whips to turn them into his own dream sand creatures.

Jack was still tucked safely in bed, dressed in a plain white shirt while his hoodie was being stitched by a she yeti. Phil and the other yetis stood by the door in their defensive stances with their spears readied to pierce any fearling that dares break in the room. Phil shot worried glances at Jack's sleeping form every time, even if Jack was a pain in the neck with his mischief and tricks he was still worried about him.

The yetis just kept their ground, getting ready to pounce at whatever comes through the door.

North returned shortly after he casted the spell, moving as fast as he could and tried to bare with the aching pain on his back. Two ghostly fearlings tried to intercept. Wasting no time North lifted his sword that he used for support and sliced them in half, causing the fearling to turn back into limp nightmare sand. He cursed as he nearly lost his balance, being an old man stinks. He finally made it out of the halls, where more fearlings swarmed. North gave a growl and found Bunny who hoped to dodge a swipe from the nightmares. "I casted a spell, there wouldn't be anymore coming." He informed.

"Well we better get these out first" Bunnymund replied.

North moved in front of Bunny and began to fight along with the yetis who carried their spears. The elves, they just bit the horses in the foot to be of some use.

After minutes have passed, most of the nightmares have transformed into dreams, fighting off the remaining fearlings until they were all gone.

The guardians were panting, most especially North who took a seat immediately after the nightmares disappeared.

"How the bloody heck does Pitch know we're all here?" Bunny broke the silence, flailing his tiny paws in the air.

"Were they here for Jack?" Tooth asked North with a worried glance as she toyed with her fingers nervously.

"I think he was, why else wouldn't he attack when Jack wasn't here?" North said tiredly and Sandy agreed, using his sand image to make a picture of a thumbs up.

"That creep," Bunny sneered "What does he want with Jack anyway; he already tried ta kill him, why would he want to get him back when he tried ta kill him?"

"Perhaps it was defiance Bunnymund," North speculated. "Pitch took Jack as a slave, maybe Jack disobeyed and Pitch just lost his patience."

"But why does Pitch want Jack?" Tooth wondered.

"Easy, Jack is stronger, Pitch want ta turn him against us and obviously he failed." Bunny snorted.

"We cannot say that yet, Pitch is still up to something…I feel it…in my belly." North gestured at his belly as the room grew silent to listen. The Pooka rolled his eyes. "Well yer belly might be wrong, what else can Pitch do?"

"But how did he find Jack? Is the collar a tracking device?" Tooth theorized.

"Perhaps it is." North ran a finger through his beard.

But Sandy says it's impossible for the sand collar to track someone down, conjuring a sand X above his head.

"Then how else did he do it?" Bunny's whiskers twitched.

A yeti approached them, grumbling yetish only North could understand. "What?" He snapped.

"What's he sayin' mate?"

"He says there is a spider hanging in the rafters for an entire week." North translated and turned to the yeti. "Where is it?"

The grey furred yeti pointed above them. Sandy flew above, forming a sand hammer using sand. He overlooked the spider with a scowl; it was clearly one of Pitch's nightmares. He smashed it with one motion of his hammer, the spider screeched loudly before dissolving into nightmare sand.

Sandy landed back onto the ground, making a picture of Pitch Black and a spider.

North nodded and called the yeti again, "check the entire pole for more, do not leave a stone unturned." He requested. The yeti scrambled away immediately, gathering the other yetis.

"That stinkin' rat bag," Bunny growled.

"So Pitch has been listening to us all this time?" Tooth's voice broke into a whisper incase there were still spiders around. "So does he know about our plans?"

"I don't know," North admitted with a defeated sigh and leaned back on his seat.

"I still don't get it mate," Bunny moved closer to the globe of belief still filled with lights. "They still believe in us, but why did we all lose our powers?"

"I don't know," North pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "But I bet is has something to do with the black sand…."

* * *

Dawn began to break the night. Jamie wasn't getting any sleep from thinking about what Bunny said regarding Jack. He never believed a single word Pitch says, Jack would never join him, not under any circumstances.

From across the window he could see his friend Pippa was wide awake in her room as well. For the passed few weeks pretty much all of them have been having nightmares, but not every night like him. It made him worry his friends would stop believing in the guardians just like before.

He slid open his window to call her attention. He flailed his arms up and down, finally catching Pippa's attention after a few minutes of trying. She opened her window, "Jamie, what's wrong?"

"Can you gather all the others to come over? I need to talk about something…" He implored, Pippa nodded without further question.

In a matter of minutes, Jamie got all his friends to gather around his porch in some sort of meeting.

"Jamie have you been getting any sleep at all?" Pippa asked worriedly, glancing at the dark bags under his eyes. Jamie rubbed his orbs wearily, stretching his arms above his head. "Just a little is enough." He said like it was no big deal.

"You having nightmares too huh?" Claude said leaning onto the railing of the small staircase.

"Yeah, sometimes is hard to believe that the guardians are still there." Calleb murmured gravely.

"But we HAVE to believe in them!" Jamie snapped "Have you forgotten what happened the last time, they'll loose their powers! They'll become invisible!"

"Yeah, we still believe in them, but where are they now?" Monty pointed out.

"I just lost my tooth last night and the tooth fairy never came," added Cupcake.

"Something probably came up," Jamie theorized. "I mean it's pitch we're talking about!"

"Your right," Pippa agreed. "All we have to do is wait, but what did you say was wrong with Jack?"

Everyone turned to Jamie, who sighed and fought back the tears.

"_I am not your brother…"_

The cold words rang loudly in his head and he tried his best to shake them away, "I don't know…but we have to believe in them, it'll keep their powers safe."

The group of children glanced at each other and nodded.

"Now let's go convince the ones who stopped believing that the guardians are real!" Jamie declared and just like that, the children scattered around their neighborhood.

* * *

Pitch glared at the globe of belief, clenching his hands into tight fists, he was one step closer to ripping out patches of his hair in frustration. The lights have stopped going out, the nightmares he sent out have come back empty handed, all his plans were beginning to fall apart again. His head felt like it was seething with flames, he growled and yelled, taking all his anger out on the nightmare horses.

He gave a huff of annoyance, gritting his teeth. First Jack Frost escapes him, then North casts a stupid spell to keep all his nightmares away, then a yeti discovers the spider hanging in the pole and smashes it, now he is unable to see what the guardians are up to. Unable to think of anything else, his face contorted into an angry scowl. "You useless pests!" he roared, inhaling deeply. "Can't you do anything helpful for once?" he growled, turning the stallions back into black sand.

"Go get him, and don't come back empty handed!" his holler echoed the underground palace and the formless fearlings poured out of the broken bed frame in search for the winter spirit.

Pitch remained there and kept calm, trying to think of another plan. His cold gaze traveled back to the globe of belief, specifically at the annoying light in Burgess that used to be the last one on the globe but now it seemed to be shining the brightest of all. His lips curled into a sneer. As he said, be would be more than happy to put out the last light himself. "Stubborn child, when will you ever stop believing?"

* * *

Jack flinched as the sunlight stung his eyes. He tried to lift one of his arms to block it out and he was suddenly aware of the searing pain that radiated from his torso. He gritted his teeth, wishing the pain will go away on it's own, he also noticed the soft surface against his back.

_Maybe Pitch had been nice enough to put him on a bed…._

_No, that can't be right..._

He took deep and painful breaths and fisted his hands on the soft sheets, attempting to get up; instead a moan escaped his lips. His eyes refused to open.

_Where was he?_

His whole body burned from the sudden movement. His breaths turned into pained gasps, he chocked his head side to side on the pillow, tears escaping his tightly shut eyes.

He heard the door opened, and the voice of someone calling his name, it seemed more like a distant. Jack didn't seem to recognize who's voice it was and renewed a wave of panic, trying to get away.

"Jack!" The voice called again, suddenly became clearer. It was North, it was North! HE WAS IN THE POLE! His heart suddenly throbbed harder, if he was in the pole then what would Pitch do!?

He felt a hand against his forehead while North whispered words of comfort. Jack hyperventilated and finally found the strength to sit up right.

He didn't know what to say first…

"North! Pitch…He's gonna kill you guys, the black sand! I can't stay here!" He sputtered, trying to squirm away.

North pinned the winter spirit to his chest in a hug, "Jack calm down." He proceeded to rub his back, turning his hitched breathing into a more natural pattern.

Jack still continued to panic, wriggling around the hug; his whole body ached with pain.

"Jack, calm down, you are safe."

"No, we're not! Pitch!" Jack's breathing pattern began to speed up.

"Do not worry," North cooed, rubbing his back comfortingly but it was hard for the winter spirit to calm.

The old Cossack gently pushed him back down in a laying position, resulting to a groan and took a seat beside his bed. "Tell me what happened , slowly"

The door busted open and the queen of fairies stood by the door way with Sandy and Bunny, "Did I hear Jack? Is he awake?"

The winter spirit tried to sit up, only to be tackled in a hug by Tooth who refused to let go. The warmth felt nice, but his aching ribs made it feel worse. _So they didn't believe he joined Pitch after all._

Toothiana finally let go, but started throwing hundreds of questions at him. "What happened? What did Pitch do? Why? Oh, I'm gonna be sure to knock all his teeth out! Does your wounds still hurt? Are you feeling alright?"

Jack stiffened, not only did his ribcage protest in the tight hug but the pressure on his abdomen caused it to burn even more.

Bunny seemed to notice Jack's pained expression. "Oi Sheila, he's still hurt, give im' a little space."

Tooth gasped and reeled back, slightly embarrassed, instead she began apologizing, "I'm sorry Jack, I'm sorry, how are you feeling, I'm sorry I'm sorry."

North beckoned Jack to lay back down again but the sprite refused to relax, instead he spoke, "Pitch, and his nightmare sand, I don't know how but it causes you guys to lose your powers, and if I don't hurry it might kill you guys, I have to go back! I have to!"

"Wait a sec," Bunny interrupted. "Does that mean you have it too?"

The immortal teen suddenly began clawing his neck for the black collar.

"Don't worry, Sandy removed that" North assured.

Jack face changed to a look of relief, "I don't have it, Pitch is trying to get me to help him and he figured the only way was to poison you guys."

"What's the collar for? How did you get hurt like this?" Tooth asked.

"The collar controls me, I tried to fight Pitch but…but this collar started choking me, I should have listened to man in the moon…."

Sandy made a question mark and a picture of the moon.

"He helped me a little, he told me to think things through but I didn't." Jack sighed, then he realized something, "Jamie! I…he thinks I'm with Pitch!"

"No, relax mate, he doesn't believe that." Bunny said.

"But, I have to get back! I can't stay here, Pitch will come and-"

"Pitch won't be able to reach us here, there is a spell keeping him out, don't worry." North reassured.

"But," Jack protested. "Man in the moon said the only way to get rid of the black sand is to destroy Pitch, I have to fight him."

"Jack, we are a family, this is not you fight, this is our fight."

"Listen to what man in the moon says, we have to think this through."

"But you guys…I'm the only one not affected." Jack stated solemnly.

"That doesn't mean we can't help you Jack." Tooth placed her small hand on Jack's shoulder, amethyst irises glowing with confidence.

"We'll think of somethin' mate," Bunnymund cracked a smile.

Jack just sighed in defeat and sagged. "Can't we go see Jamie, I gotta explain this…."

* * *

Pitch's wide grin appeared in the shadows, his dark and sleek figure slowly morphed out of darkness. The room suddenly grew quiet and the wind blew cold as the nightmare king paced forward, slowly approaching the child. "Jamie"

The boy stiffened upon hearing the silky voice of the nightmare king calling his name, he didn't dare turn around. He gathered the strength to speak, "What did you do to Jack?"

Pitch's eyes narrowed "How many times do I have to tell you, Jack Frost has joined me."

"Your lying." Jamie spat.

"You don't believe me, fine" Pitch drew closer, dangerously close.

"I'm not afraid of you!"

"Then why can you see me?"

Jamie screwed his eyes shut and covered his ears, chanting, "your not real" hoping Pitch would just disappear, but his fear took over. "What are you gonna do?" he asked, voice quivering.

Pitch smirked, "Change of plans." He grabbed the boy and clamped a hand over his mouth, muffling his screams.

He summoned a stream of darkness, building a wall in front of them; just like that they disappeared into darkness, leaving a trace of black sand for Jack to find.

* * *

**Pitch is a big stalker who kidnaps children O.O anyone wanna beat him up with me lol**

**And finally, although I can't really believe this is happening, but I have reached the climax of this story! And I am extremely happy cause I have never finished a story without a random ending, ever! Sometimes I even put the word the end on the author's note to end it XD**

**But donzmt worry, I will never abandon this story just like that, maybe one or two chapters left till the end.**

**Hope you enjoyed, please review **


	12. Dark Twilight

**Sad to say but this is the last chapter, and now I just discovered that I totally suck at endings so after you read this…Please don't throw forks at me O.o**

* * *

"Where's my staff?" Jack asked in a hoarse voice, his staff seemed absent from the moment he woke up. His wounds were slightly feeling better but he couldn't stop himself from flinching every time he moved too much.

"It's here" Tooth reached under the bed and handed him his staff along with a glass of water.

"Tell us a little more mate, everything still seems to be in the dark." Bunny urged. Jack seemed horrified of the thought; he forced himself to swallow a few gulps of water to quench his sandpaper throat. "Pitch told you guys that I joined him, but I really didn't have a choice, he was going to kill you guys."

"We know mate," Bunny cut in, he crossed his arms and rolled his eyes at Pitch's pathetic lies.

"I tried to fight him," the young guardian continued. "Man in the moon said I still had time, but I decided to fight him, I thought I could over power him, but the collar had control over me, and this happened." He gestured at himself, "that's why I have to go fight him again! You guys are running out of time!"

"No," North disagreed. "You are not fighting anyone, not in a fragile state like this. We need more time."

"But we're running out of time!" Jack snapped, glancing at Sandy. The dark sand has covered up almost half of his body now.

"Oh Jack," Tooth pulled him into a small hug, lightly stroking his hair. "Everything's going to be okay."

"We'll think of something," North said with a reassuring smile, even if he couldn't as much as think of a smart plan.

"But you guys can't fight…I have to." Jack whispered in Tooth's hug.

"Jack, we can do this," she said, her amethyst gaze filled with confidence.

"This is our fight" Bunny added. "But the question is what Pitch is up to now?"

"He'll be back soon" Jack tried to be optimistic but all the bad thoughts just kept escaping from his mind.

"Then we have to think fast," North said earnestly in his thick accent. He glanced out the window to see dark misty clouds littering the sky, making it seem like it was getting dark when it was just noon. "This must be a sign; Jack may not have time to heal."

"I'm feeling a lot better," Jack grew anxious, seeing the dark grey clouds. He threw the comforters off and sat upright, ignoring his body protesting in pain.

"Jack what are you doing?" Tooth tried to stop him, grabbing hold of his shoulders to push him back down.

The winter spirit shook her hands off, "I need to see if I can walk." He shifted his leg to test the strength of his fractured bone. He grabbed the head board with one hand and his staff of the other, using them for support. Gingerly, he placed his leg on the ground, lightly adding more pressure to it.

"Jack, stop, you're gonna hurt yourself," Tooth tried to stop him, but the hellion was stubborn. North moved closer to him, in case he fell. He took Jack's arms, helping him stand and received a glare from Tooth, "North, your not supposed to help him!"

"Let him do whatever he wants, just not something stupid." Bunny nodded to North who lifted Jack's full weight easily to avoid hurting his healing leg.

Jack his able to stand on one foot, however as soon as he stepped on both legs, a sharp pain radiated from his bone, he would have fallen over if North wasn't there. "Jack stop for a while."

Jack shook his head and proceeded to use his staff like a cane, limping a few steps from the bed he was supposed to be recovering in. "I don't have to walk, I can use the wind."

Sandy visibly frowned at the child's stubbornness but they all figured there was no way they could stop him.

"I need to go to Burgess," Jack mumbled, trudging to the window.

"No, you are not." North was able to pull him back easily.

"But" Jack protested. "He might be in danger!"

"Frostbite you don't know where Pitch is, that's the reason why we kept the North pole in a lock down." Bunnymund explained, furrowing his brows.

"Pitch might get to Jamie! He said something about it!" Jack tried desperately to change their minds into letting him go.

"Frost, ya gotta listen ta us; we have to think this through." Bunny said gravely, blocking his path. Although he could easily kick the small rabbit away, but he was right, they have to think this through, or else he might end up killing them all. He stared guiltily at the ground, caught in another dilemma.

He creased his forehead, frustration building up inside of him. "But can't I at least check on Jamie? Please help me." he turned expectedly to North, staring at him with pleading eyes, the old Cossack didn't have the heart to refuse his request and helps him stand up right only to get another glare from their female guardian.

"Fine," North raised his large hand dismissively. "We take the sleigh and go together."

"What!?" Tooth snapped her crown of feathers fluff up with intense emotion. "Are you crazy?"

"Iz better that way, if we go together at least we will be able to defend each other in case Pitch strikes besides Jack is just going to sneak out on his own again, am I right." He looked down at the winter spirit clinging onto his arm for support. He held a guilty look and stared at the ground.

Sandy protested, floating above them with a picture of the sleigh.

"Yeah mate, can you control the sleigh on your condition?" Bunny asked, gulping at the thought of climbing in the sleigh when he was so tiny.

"Nothing is impossible as long as you believe." North said confidently and looked down at Jack. "What do you say?"

The mischief's smile was as bright as a moon beam.

Tooth had no choice but to go with the flow; if Pitch ever shows up she will be ready for a fight.

Sandy nodded, floating to North and giving him a thumbs up.

Bunny nodded to, slightly blanching. Being a million feet in the air wasn't such a pleasant feeling for a flightless creature.

"To the sleigh!" North declared..

* * *

Jamie grunted as he was harshly thrown to the floor by the Nightmare King. He glared at Pitch clearly; he wasn't scared, not even a little bit, only irritated.

"Don't give me that pathetic look, child." Pitch said with half interest, holding his hands behind his back. He paced around the globe of belief, leaving the child in turmoil.

"What do you want?" he tried to stop his voice from quivering.

"To stop your believe." Pitch simply answered without turning to face him, leaving Jamie in an uncomfortable silence. The place seemed haunted, black sand filing the cracks on the floor. Darkness surrounded them, only the sun's rays from the cracks of the bed frame allowed a minimal amount of light to shed. "If Jack joined you, where is he now?" the boy smugly, causing Pitch to grind his teeth. "How many times do I have to tell you, the winter spirit you one knew is gone!" his voice echoed the small space. "Do you want to know what your dear Jack is doing, he is spreading fear, all around the world, until the lights go out one by one."

"You're lying!" Jamie spat, ducking his head into his arms, expecting to get hit.

Pitch drew closer to him, standing in full height. He towered over the small child, looking down at him with a sneer. "You'll turn into one of my fearlings soon, I hope you like nightmares Jamie."

"No, the guardians will come…."

"The guardians are as good as dead! Why do you think their loosing their powers?" Pitch grabbed a fistful of his hair, forcing the boy to look at him. "Because the black sand is beginning to poison them, and if it spreads, they'll perish forever." He pushed the whimpering child back down the ground.

Jamie back pedaled, scrambling as far away from the dark being as possible. He still refused to believe it, Jack will come, he will never let him down. As long as he was still alive he will never give into Pitch. "You're lying." He kept saying.

Pitch didn't even bother; he closed his eyes and gave a heavy sigh. He can sense Jamie's fear, he was afraid and he didn't want to admit it. He smirked, if children feared, he still stands strong.

Jamie was just the bait for Jack, wherever he was right now Pitch knew he was stubborn enough to go see Jamie and if he does and finds the room trailed with black sand, he'll be walking straight into a trap, behind the dark shadows stood a large army of fearlings ready for a fight.

He has decided to fight Jack Frost head to head, with the children's fear everywhere around the world, what does he have to lose?"

* * *

Jack grew more urgent as he headed closer to Jamie's home. He suddenly developed an anxious feeling at the bottom pit of his stomach. Something is was wrong.

Again the sleigh crashed the sleight crashed in the back yard with a loud thundering clatter but luckily the reindeer remained in their reins. Jack immediately flew by the window, throwing it open, yelling Jamie's name. Just as he thought the room was empty of the child, there was nothing but a fallen bed sheet on the ground. The winter spirit limped around the room, calling his first believer's name a dozen more times, chacking under the bed, in the closet or any possible hiding place there is. The other guardians came after him, clambering inside the window one by one. North remained outside, peering in the small window, "Any sign of him?"

Bunny noticed how Jack tensed, seeing the empty room. "Oi mate, he must be somewhere else, maybe he's in the living room, or he went to visit someone."

"No…" Jack couldn't stop the horrible thoughts entering his mind. "Where could he be?" he spun around his slow circles.

Sandy made a few images, telling them he'll check outside. He floated out the room, skimming the entire house for any sigh on the child.

From outside, North checked the globe on the sleigh. "There iz only one light in this area, and that iz Sophie's bedroom." He said.

From the thin cement walls, they could hear Sophie screech Sandy's name enthusiastically, but no Jamie.

Jack's irises dilated, his eyes landed on the trail of black sand that led to the darkest corner of the room. "Pitch!" he slurred. The guardians jumped as they heard the nightmare king's name.

The immortal teen's eyes blazed with fury, his breathing grew heavier. "Pitch took Jamie!" he nearly tripped over his own feet. "he must be in his lair!"

"Jack, this might be a trap," Tooth warned, grabbing his arm in attempt to calm him down.

"Oi mate, relax."

"I can't" Jack started hyperventilating, causing his chest to burn with pain again. "Who knows what Pitch might do."

"Iz right," North said from outside. "We go to lair and fight Pitch, so this iz all over with." He decided to follow Jack's selfless plans.

Bunny and Tooth gawked, "What? Have ya lost your mind?"

"I can do it," Jack stated with a tap of his staff, decorating a large part of the floor with his winter magic.

"We can do this," North corrected. "Remember Jack this is not your fight it iz ours."

Jack nodded and cracked a smile.

"To the sleigh!"

* * *

Jack led them back to Pitch's lair just as where he remembers it the last time he visited. He kept his fingers crossed, hoping it was still there.

They found the lair sitting in the middle of the grass field. Jack instantly climbed out of the sleigh and froze the frames of the ancient bed. Using the end of his staff he slammed it against the frozen wood, shattering it easily.

"That's one deep hole." Bunny remarked, staring down at the dark pit.

With no second thoughts, Jack dove straight in, not even bothering to scale the sides. Sandy followed behind him, allowing the darkness to engulf hi. The black sand almost covered his entire body, except for a patch of gold sand on his left shoulder. It told them they were running out of time.

"Jamie! Jamie!" Jack and Sandy searched around the lair.

"Jack?" a childish voice called, which he immediately recognized. "Jack!" it called again, appearing out of the corner of he room. Dull brown eyes widened when he saw the winter spirit. "Jack! I knew it wasn't true!"

Jack grunted as the child rammed against his healing wound. He wrapped his arms around the child and picked him up in a big hug. "I really have a lot of explaining to do" he said with a chuckle.

A portal appeared a few feet from them, North, Bunny and Tooth stepped out of it along with a couple yetis, holding their spears, ready for battle.

"How sweet," They heard Pitch's voice echo off the walls. "Too bad you fell for my trap."

Jack set Jamie down, glaring at where the voice was coming from. An army of nightmare horses and fearling men encircled them.

"We didn't fall for your stupid traps Pitch we came here purposely to fight you." Bunny hissed.

"Well you are completely powerless against this." Pitch stepped out of the shadows with a smirk. "So Jack, how are those wounds healing?"

Jamie's brown eyes widened and looked at Jack, "wounds?"

Jack patted his head as a sign that told him he was okay.

"Just as I thought," the nightmare kind scoffed. "Even you aren't in a condition to give me a good fight." He raised a hand, calling his fearlings.

"You guys take care of the nightmares and get Jamie out of here." The immortal teen whispered to North. Before anyone can stop him, Jack charged for Pitch, blasting him with shards of ice.

It set off a trigger for the fearlings to attack.

North signaled his yetis to attack too, giving Tooth one of his swords, he wanted to give Bunny a weapon too but the rabbit was way too small to carry anything.

Jack's war cry radiated as ice and frost collided, igniting a huge blinding spark.

Pitch wasn't given a chance to recover, a lightning bolt of frost shot him flying backwards, slamming against the bed frame and blasting him out of the ditch hole he called his lair.

Jack flew after him immediately; his eyes were merciless like they were ready for murder.

Toothiana took this chance to get Jamie out of the lair. "Come on sweetie we need to get you to a safe place."

Jamie shook his head, "But I can help you guys turn those nightmares into dreams." Now that the guardians were here, he wasn't scared anymore.

She turned to North and bunny for help but they couldn't refuse the boy's help, they really needed help. It's not like the nightmares could touch him anyway.

"Their running out of time Jack" Pitch gibed, trying to get on his nerves. "You'll be all alone again, and when that time comes I will make sure you never see the daylight again."

It only made Jack seethe with anger, his staff glazed with ice as it glowed brighter. Then he released a mass of ice.

But the nightmare kind blocked most of the effect of the attack with his nightmare sand. "You made a mistake when you didn't accept my offer the last time." He sent out a wave of nightmare sand, engulfing Jack in complete darkness.

The dome of nightmare sand began to freeze. Jack temporarily forgot all about the lessons Sandy taught him about controlling his powers and let it all out. His feet merely touched down on the ground, freezing a large part of sod on the ground.

He slammed his staff hard on the ground, creating icicles that stuck out of the ground. He took advantage of the icy floor and used the wind to propel him forward, flashing another shock of ice.

Pitch dodged it easily, now that Jack was close enough he grabbed him by the scruff of his hoodie and threw a hard punch on his wounded abdomen causing a sharp cry of pain.

The dark being smirked, oh how he loved those screams. He tossed him aside with a hard kick on his injured leg. He formed a whip out of nightmare sand similar to what Sandy does and lashed it at Jack a few times. The end of the whip wrapped around his ankle and flung him hard against a tree.

Pitch seemed to be gaining the upper hand, throwing Jack around like a rag doll.

The winter spirit coughed wildly, his throat closing in. He felt himself sweating, drenching his blue hoodie with sweat that made him uncomfortable.

The dark being took this opportunity for torment. He took Jack by the throat and pinned him against the tree. "This is your fault." He grinned "If you never became a guardian none of this would be happening."

_Oh no, he wasn't listening to that anymore. _Jack gave another war cry, his body temperature dropping, new found adrenaline coursing through his veins. He blasted another shard of ice at Pitch, making him step back, letting him fall limply to the ground, catching his breath.

The guardians have moved their battle up hill. North transported them up to solid ground with his snow globes. The fearlings wasted no time and followed them up to the surface.

They all saw Jack, being towered over by Pitch, they were just about to run over to give him a hand when a barrier of nightmare sand blocked their paths.

They couldn't see a thing, none of them were aware Pitch drew out his sand arrows, aiming straight at his open target.

Luckily Jack was able to dive out of the way, using the wind to carry him high up the atmosphere.

Despite Jamie's absence, the 6 children of Burgess continued to spread their belief around town. Soon their rumors reached around the world, making half of the lost lights believe again.

The mini fairies regained their ability to fly. Almost instantly they shot out of the palace by groups to collect teeth.

For the guardian, they could feel the children believe again, giving them a little bit more strength even if the black sand was poisoning them from the inside. Bunny was still trying his best to open up a hole.

North looked down at Sandy, the black sand is beginning to cover up the small patch of gold on his body; it was really a race against time now.

They broke through the thick barrier of black sand and found Jack in an air borne battle with the nightmare king.

Jack could feel the children believing in him like a surge of power circulating in his body ready to be released, and since he is unaffected by the nightmare sand, he had more power.

Pitch growled as he felt the children stop fearing him, what was going on? He hid his shock and carried on with the battle, pushing Jack back with every attack.

Jack released another bolt of frost, but Pitch was able to block it away. They were still even.

The winter spirit whipped around desperately, trying to find something that would help him.

Pitch morphed an axe out of nightmare sand. There was no way he was giving up so easily, years and years of plans weren't gonna go down the drain just like that. He vowed to make Jack Frost suffer. He smirked, looking down at the other guardians fighting off his army. "Soon" he told himself, they were running out of time.

Jack knew that too, he was growing more and more desperate. He screamed and called the wind for it's help. The violent zephyr whipped around wildly, messing up the nightmare king's aim. Then he inhaled deeply, creating a stronger blast of ice that slammed Pitch back down to thee ground.

The dark being got to his bearings immediately, countering the winter spirit charging towards him with his wall of sand. His sand whips curling around the sprite's wrist, holding him down.

Jack yelled, freezing the whips easily and breaking them off. He failed to notice a third whip coming from behind. It wrapped around his staff, flinging it on the far side of the clearing.

Jamie gasped and tugged on Tooth, "Jack's staff, I need to get it!"

The female guardian nodded and let him out of her grasp. The child sprinted across the field as fast as he could. A swarm of nightmares tried to stop him but they turned into golden dust once they shot passed him. He retrieved the staff and prepared to run across the other side to give it to Jack.

"Don't go anywhere near here!" The hellion yelled.

Jamie hesitated, but he threw the staff as far as he could. The wooden stick landed within the winter spirit's reach, and Jack took it before Pitch has the chance to break it again. he turned to the guardians. "Keep him away!"

Sandy floated to Jamie and dragged him back to their side.

Jack stood deathly still in the middle of the clearing, holding his staff beside him. He focused all his energy in one attack, his blue eyes shot open, glowing brighter than the sun. Then suddenly a violent blizzard formed all around them, His dark silhouettes disappearing in the foggy mist.

"You," Pitch looked at Jamie, his eyes flared with fury. "It's your fault." He felt an ice cold hand on his shoulder followed by a blinding explosion of light.

They all gasped, Jack and Pitch disappeared from their sight. The last thing they heard was Pitch's scream.

From what Jack could see, the nightmare king's form slowly dispersed into black sand along with all the fearlings under his control. As the light faded, the sand particles disappeared

From what the guardians could see, the black sand coating Sandy's gold slowly disappeared, and they felt themselves gaining strength each second.

The Frosty morning air felt good on his face. Jack leaned on his staff, drew a deep breath and allowed himself to savor the moment of victory.

"Jack!" Jamie rammed into him, tackling the winter prince into a hug, so did Tooth, who regained her ability to fly. They all fell over, Jack feeling tired and worn out after releasing too much power all at once.

Light, hope, wonder and the belief of children has overcome darkness. Pitch Black and his sand simply disappeared, sealed away in his lair; only a strong amount of power will be able to release him. Everything was over now; it felt like a huge weight has been lifted from his shoulders.

But darkness can never be destroyed, however there won't be any signs of Pitch for a couple more years, and if that time comes, he knew he had his family by his side.

Jack closed his eyes, feeling himself fading away from the real world. He let his family fuss over him, a small smile on his lips. Before he lost consciousness, he felt his body being lifted into North's strong arms. "Let's get you home"

Finally he found a place where he truly belonged….

Finally he had someone to reach out to….

Finally he found his family, and they could all live in peace and enjoy a happy ending….

For now….

Jack remained in the North Pole to recover from his wounds. A few days after the fall of the nightmare king, they spent a whole week celebrating.

Jamie didn't see any sign of Jack until Christmas morning when the winter spirit came and decorated his window with winter magic.

They had a small talk, although it led to a huge snowball fight in his room, but jack suddenly brought up a strange question for no reason. "So were you scared when Pitch was raiding his attack?"

"No, not even one bit" Jamie pumped his chest out.

Jack just chuckled and patted him in the back. "Well, I was a little, looks like my little believer is tougher than me."

The sleigh landed outside the backyard to pick Jack up, but the guardians all ended up having a snowball war. This is truly a merry Christmas for Jack, now that he wasn't clinging to someone's window watching them celebrate.

* * *

**Warning: Long author's note ahead.**

**Excuse my fangirlish habits but OH MY GOSH I JUST FINISHED A STORY! IN YOUR FACE WRITER'S BLOCK! I don't know if you guys have read my other fics but the rest of my stories have never been finished before, either that or I totally make a random ending and screw up, sometimes I even put the word THE END I QUIT at the end of the chapters, but luckily it didn't happen to this one and I just feel so happy that I didn't leave it hanging. I have really short attention span sometimes and it's the main cost of why my stories never finish.**

**I have to apologize for the abrupt ending in every chapter and all the grammatical errors, I tried to write this well, I tried to explore the thoughts of every character but school isn't making it easier. I try to update every weekend and sometimes my chapters get way too long to type down I just have to cut off some parts for me to finish in time.**

**Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows it has been 4 months, I really appreciate you reading this story to the end. **

**Special thanks to: ****LuvFiction Xxxx****, ****Fallenbey****, ****littlemisslol****, ****Master Derpy****, **** . .ice****, ****feathered moon wings****, ****Lovepuppy316****, Irishgirl, ****toothfairy17****, ****jordylilly777****, ****Skye Bloodwillow****, ****GlOmP3R****, Anon, ****DAyz L8r****, ****ParisPhantom****, Gabsters, ****outlandish mind****, ****Grey-Skye-eyes****, IxB, ****lilalove88****, ****Annaliese95****, ****Lmb111514****, ****EmeraldGrey57****, ****WRATH77****, ****Princessbeccaanime****, ****, ****MysteryGirl7Freak****, PhantomWriter, ****animegal24****, ****Hrm94****, ****Peaceful Dragon Rose****, PhantomSweeney13, ****FudoTwin17****, MEC, ****Krisdaughter of Athena**** and to all the guests who reviewed :D **

**Good gully that's a long list anyway, I have a new story published, it's called "Winter Solstice' based on the idea of Gabsters originally was supposed to be how this story ends but the idea happened to inspire me to make another story out of it so…here it is lol it's already up, if your interested just head to my profile.**

**And another special thanks to Gabsters for the lovely idea, your awesome! XD **

**Here is the summary: ****A touch of frost in a shade of darkness makes the perfect combination. The guardians have abandoned him, they concluded that he betrayed them without giving him a chance to explain, now he was alone in deep pain and addle. Pitch managed to convince the confused and desperate winter spirit to side with him. It was the guardian's worst nightmare, but what has become of the kind and gentle winter spirit they once knew?**

**Again thanks a lot for all your support :D**

**See you in the future stories **

**~Silver**


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